Learning to Walk Again
by Sinead Rivka
Summary: .:Beast Wars:. The year is 2063. Beast Wars was a television show, once watched by the current generation's grandparents. Thus it was only a television show to a young Arena fighter, nearing the height of her career, until she actually met them.
1. Chapter One

Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter One

Normal days are boring. Then again, what _is_ normal?

Let's not get into that discussion.

For me a "normal" day, is one that I don't get killed in an arena fight. A "normal" day, is when I gain at least two more bruises, from relentless opponents, who really do want to kill me. A "normal" day is one in which I go home, finish work that I have left over from the day, and go to bed.

This is the account in which my "normal" days proved to be a shadow of the true world, as they ended, and I started to _truly_ live.

The man attacked, his rather large sword descending upon me quickly. He was large _and_ agile, a combination that many smaller and agile fighters learn to be wary about. I dodged his sword, and then thrust quickly, resting the tip at the base of his neck, actually letting it graze the metal, saying nothing.

He lowered his sword, then growled in a voice that portrayed his irritation of being beaten by me yet again. "I submit."

He pulled his helmet off, and we bowed to each other. I never show my face. It isn't required. Even if it were, I wouldn't.

"Brute," which was his nick-name, didn't care much for losing, and his next opponent would suffer because of my win. As for the nick-name issue, all arena fighters take one on. You have Brute, then Spike, Traitor, Bullwhip, Death-Bringer, Fear, Free-Fall, and so many others. The list of names are endless, but the seven others that I've named, are the ones in my group, that we called a platoon.

They have no idea that I'm a girl.

I always come, with the armor racks, the polish, everything that my fighting-self needs to fight. They also think that I "relieve" my fighting-self's needs, and have tried a few moves before. I'm not going to admit that I'm all that bad to look at, but I'm not one to just go off and spend a few hours sucking face, among other things, with a sweaty fighter. That would violate everything that I hold dear to me. I'm a virgin, and I'm staying that way until my wedding night. My friends are threatening to get me married off fast.

"KEDAKAI!!!"

I glared at the short fighter. I was only about five-five, but I mean . . . seriously. He was only five straight . . . if that. It was Fear. And that short cretin can _bellow_.

I didn't reply. I never speak. It freaks the others out, since they like to hurl insults at each other as they battle. I say nothing, while they try to make up for my silence. It's quite hilarious, once you understand that I'm a female.

"You bein' a chicken? A wuss? A _girlie_?!"

They try to tempt me into yelling back, revealing my voice, something that they could hold me to. I grinned beneath my helmet, and attacked silently, my sword in a defensive position, though. I knew his fighting style, and I played into it. He thrust the tip of the sword at me, but I flipped over his attack, hitting the back of his helmet with the pommel of my sword as I did so.

He yelled, and whirled, but it was too late. I ricocheted off of the fencing, and was back on the first side that I was on, with the edge of my sword grazing his throat, as I was holding the back of his head still with my left hand, and my right was over shoulder, holding the sword at his neck. He sighed. "I submit."

I drew the sword away, and turned, to leave through the opposite door in the fence. Members of other two platoons also called this training ground their home arena. I've fought against every other fighter here, each multiple times, winning at least once with each of them. Every single one of the fighters did one of two things: They got out of my way, or they tried to make something about my fighting skills.

Just as Fang was doing now.

"Kedakai, you poor, innocent little boy. Do you know what I saw yesterday?"

Little old me, bringing in everything for fighting.

"A cute little girl, bringing in everything for fighting. Guess what I did?"

You started to hit on me, you sexless donkey.

"I started to hit on the girl. Guess what she did?"

You idiot. I promptly kicked you in the balls.

"She kissed me."

One of the other fighters, one who didn't care much about winning or losing, but instead just fought because he could, snorted, and pulled his helmet off. He always gave me a challenge, and I always took the challenge. We fought each other a lot, doing multiple rounds. Sometimes I won, sometimes he did. Another thing that he did, was let my silence be, and not fling insults at me, to try to get me enraged. We were comrades, in a way, even though we were on separate platoons.

He sighed, saying, "Bull, Fang. I saw you. She kicked you right in the gonads! And what did you do? You crumbled, on all fours, holding yourself and ready to bawl like a baby."

I shook my head, and brushed past him, while surrounding fighters began laughing. Like my Japanese nick-name's meaning, noble, I don't lower myself to their level. The one who defended me caught up with me. "Hey! Not even a 'thank-you'? C'mon, Kedakai, speak once in a while."

I turned, and looked at him. He could see my eyes. I know that he could. I gave him a questioning look, and he chuckled. "For a guy, you've got expressive eyes."

I altered the look, so that I appeared bored. He grinned, and said, "So, you mute by birth, or by choice?"

I held up two fingers. Second option.

He nodded. "Hard?"

I shook my head, and the taller fighter asked, "You get angry, right?"

I nodded.

"So why don't you yell back?"

We reached my room, where I've destroyed all of the bugs and things. We were allowed to do that, as long as we provided funds to replace them as soon as we were gone. We're actually _paid_ to fight. You know, liability and all. I've already paid them for the devices, so they leave me alone about that. I nodded towards the door, and he opened it. "Well?"

I pointed, plainly indicating that he should enter. Once the door was closed, I pulled my helmet off, and said, "Because of who I am."

He sat, in all his armor, which is rather painful, and I leaned against a counter. He took a moment to recover, then finally said, "You . . . you really _are_a . . ."

"Hsst!" I held up a hand, then replaced my helmet in a flash, buckling it on easily, all thanks to my boyishly-short hair. The only exception, were my long bangs, that angled downward from my cheeks to my jaw. The doorknob turned, and I reached for the sword behind my shoulder. A familiar head popped in, and I smiled, though she couldn't see it, then nodded once. Two others followed in, and the door was closed again. I removed my helmet again, and said, "You scared me."

The first, a woman of around her mid-thirties, blinked. She was my boss, for work. When I'm not in the arena, I was a manager at one of those stores that you usually would see at the mall, where it has all those "punk" clothing and accessories. Instead, it was about three miles in front of the Pavilion, where I spend my weekends training. It had been a rather large plot of land, and since I was the head manager, not to mention that I had helped with multiple issues in the construction, I was allowed to buy the extra land, and use it. My boss was a distant relative, neither of us know _exactly_ how we're related, and she let me buy the land for a bargain. It was thought that it would go to waste, but I put a Japanese-style house upon it, and then planted a rather lovely garden. Now, it's one of the most beautiful places that people say they've seen. I think that it's only average. I've seen better gardens and such.

Anyway, I ran everything at the store, and whatever paperwork for inventory that I didn't finish during the day, I finished, while at home.

She sighed. "I can't stay long. Neither can you."

"What do you mean?" I asked, now worried. "What's happened? It isn't my mother, is it?"

She shook her head, smiling. "No. You're needed at the Pavilion _now_, though."

I shook my head. "That's not easily done. You _know_ what I have to do after a fight!"

"You can shower later."

"I reek!"

The fighter that defended me chuckled. "Not _that_ badly, Kedakai!"

I shook my head. "Talon, I told you who I am, because I was informed that I was moving up into your platoon. I need a friend among those ranks. I know that Fang's in your platoon as well."

"Who's dropping out?"

"Kedamono. He was injured last night, in an official fight over at the North PlainFoxBoro arena. His leg's broke, and he has so many cuts, scrapes, and gashes, that he's already had two blood transfusions." I shook my head, and added, "I'm planning to tell him, too, so that he doesn't start to feel bad. I'll be keeping him informed."

"Why are you telling us now?"

"I'm two years in this arena. Not many people last much longer than that."

He shook his head. "You'll last longer than I could ever hope to." I helped him up, and he asked, "How was Kedamono defeated?"

I sighed. "His opponent is being charged for attempted murder. He secretly sharpened the blade of his sword while waiting to enter the arena to fight."

"Dear God . . ."

I nodded, and started to pull off my armor. Talon began blushing, and he said, "Uh . . . should I leave?"

I chuckled. "Unlike you big, buff, brutes of men, I actually wear something worthwhile underneath my armor."

"I'm still trying to get used to the idea that you're a girl."

One of the people who had entered, was my partner that I worked with in the store. She has come and has helped me, when I'm injured from time to time. Her name was Hoshi, and at the moment, her current bangs-color was an iridescent white. She helped with the clasps on my back.

Just as I was pulling the chestplate over my head, the door burst in.

And there stood Fang.

I should have fixed that stupid lock yesterday.

I turned, and executed a neat kick to his chin before he could really take in what I was in. Unfortunately, though, I had already taken off the rubber-soled, metal shoes that I use in the arena. He fell, and Talon closed the door after him. Laughter was heard from the hallway, and I ran behind a screen, finishing removing the rest of the armor, and reaching for my regular clothing. I changed quickly, and then came out, quickly piling the rest of my armor onto the rack. Talon blinked. "You're the girl that Fang was trying to pull a move on."

I nodded, and said, "Look, don't tell. I'm hated enough here already."

He nodded, and I finished pulling the wire mesh over my armor. I opened the door, to see Fang being held up by two others, just as burly as he was. They blinked at me. "Did you . . . uh, knock Fang out?"

I smirked. "I hit his chin slightly less hard than I hit his balls."

They shuddered, and snickered, while I pushed the rack down the hall. One called after me, "If you ever want a good time, hun . . ."

I turned, and blinked at him. "If you ever feel the need to be castrated . . ."

He winced. "Ooh. Point taken."

I blew him a kiss, and continued pushing the cart down the hall, to the doors. We went to the van, and Talon, who was only about three years older than me, asked, "If you're ever free one night, you know, to see a movie, or something . . ."

I smiled. "Probably. I'll pencil you in sometime, if my work schedule allows it."

He blushed again, and I hopped into the passenger seat, while my boss took the driver's seat. Everyone was amazingly tense. He raised his helmet in tribute to me, and it was my turn to blush. As soon as we were on the highway, I asked, "Why is everyone on such a tightrope?"

"Something's come up."

"What do you mean?"

"Once we get to the Pavilion, you'll see."

"Please tell me. It sounds as if something horrible's happened."

None of the others looked at me. Finally, my boss said, "Something . . . something probably has by now."

I ran through the guard station at the back of the store, not even being bothered to be asked for my ID. They knew me too well to get in my way when I was determined. I wanted to find out why I was wanted here so badly.

I exited out the back of the building, and started running through the Japanese garden that I had helped plan and construct, through volunteering. There was a café in the back of the store, where people could sit and have a latte, or something, and talk about whatever.

However, before I had gotten too far, I saw a figure standing on the path, looking at the scenery. I stopped short, and stared at his back, which had four tan legs crossed over it, each black-spotted.

No way.

It . . . it couldn't be.

Cheetor turned, and looked at me, his face smiling.

He couldn't be real.

"Are you Alessa?"

I nodded, although I knew that I had to be knocked out on the floor of the arena. Cheetor was a character from a television show, an animated Saturday-morning cartoon that aired when my grandfather was a teenager. _Not_ a real person!

"Your mother wanted you. C'mon, this way."

I followed him, and asked, "Can you tell me what's going on?"

"Sorry, guess I can't. It isn't up to me to tell you," he replied over his shoulder.

"Then who will?"

"Optimus."

I sighed, and followed him to the Pavilion, where I saw others. Most were Maximals, but there was one, tall, dark woman, who I had seen before somewhere. I couldn't place her face. The others didn't seem to notice her. She was in the shadows by the east side of the house, since it was rearing sundown. I looked at Optimus, who smiled. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Alessa."

I shook his outstretched hand, definitely thinking that I was out cold on the floor of the arena. Something was rather odd about this. "Tell me why I find this so bizarre."

My mother was laughing, standing in the doorway of the Pavilion. "Because you're you, that's why! Come on, just remember to–"

She stopped short, and Optimus was moving quickly, to try to protect me. I tripped him, and gripped the sword that was descending. I was going to take any blows that were directed at me, and I wasn't going to let anyone else get hurt.

The double-hand's-length-wide blade's edges cut deeply into my palms, in a diagonal line from the space between my thumb and index fingers, to almost to my wrist on the opposite side of my palm. The pain was almost overwhelming, but I used it instead to clear my mind. In a swift movement, I had gripped the blade with my fingers, and shoved it backwards, causing the pommel to hit the dark-haired woman's forehead. She released it, and I dropped the sword, kneeling, cradling my lacerated palms towards me, trying not to let too much blood drip onto my clothes, even though I didn't see the point in it.

Optimus was just getting up, looking at me strangely. "What did you do?"

"I took the blow that was intended for me. You don't need to be involved," I replied, my voice a whisper. I finally placed a name with the face. She was a secretary at an arena that I did demonstrations at, for beginner fighters, who were just starting to train. "Velika. What are you trying to prove?"

She rushed at me, a dagger in her hands. I lunged to the right, but a stinging pain on my left cheek informed me that I wasn't fast enough. The pain was really starting to get to me. I swore under my breath. This meant that I wasn't going to be able to practice for a while. And I was just getting over my double-injury to my left knee!

She brandished the dagger within her hands dangerously, licking the slightly-bloody blade. "Why? You've beaten my husband every single time, and you haven't thought twice about it!"

My heart missed a beat.

Velika knew.

She took that opportunity, to dash towards me again. I dodged three more swipes, but on the fourth, I tripped over something.

Blackness enveloped me, as a pain beyond describing tore through my chest.


	2. Chapter Two

Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Two

_I saw something light, something spherical, but it soon disappeared. I opened my eyes, my senses flooded with pain, to see a painfully familiar face. He was holding me tight to him, looking into my face. I heard my mother crying, faintly, and then his voice . . . one which I have never heard before or since my grandfather showed me those DVDs when I was ten, say, "Hold on . . ."_

_I closed my eyes, and then opened them, to look at my chest. A tear in the fabric ran from my right shoulder, to nearly the bottom of my rib-cage, on my left side. Blood soaked the fabric. There was pain every time I took a breath. A line of wet trickled down from the cut on my left cheek, which followed my cheekbone. I looked up at Dinobot again, and saw his optics filled with worry. Why would he worry for me? We just met. We didn't even know each other._

_My worries disappeared, as I fell into darkness again._

Some time later, I awoke, to see the ceiling of one of the rooms in the Pavilion. I tried to sit up, but a jarring pain in both of my hands, as well as my chest, forced me to lay back again. I held up my hands, to see the palms bandaged. I looked at my chest, and saw that I was covered by a blanket.

The sliding door opened, and I turned my head, to see my mother standing there. She rushed to my side, and stroked my hair out of my face. "Baby . . . you're finally awake."

"What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

I blinked. "I remember being attacked, but . . . that's it." She seemed oddly relieved. I frowned. "Why?"

She shook her head. "You're safe, now. You're well into healing."

"I hurt, Mumma . . ."

She made small, soothing sounds, that I hadn't heard since I was sick with pneumonia, six-and-a-half years ago, when I was in the sixth grade. They brought back memories of being a child, warm and safe within the circle of my mother's arms, reading a large picture book.

I wished that I were that small once again.

It was four weeks later. I was walking normally again, but I wasn't allowed to even _touch_a sword. My chest was still healing, and still pained me fiercely, when I moved a way that stretched it too far in one direction or another.

"Alessa! You have a visitor!"

I walked around the Pavilion's veranda, to see Talon standing there. He smiled, and carefully embraced me. My mother handed me a note, and walked back through the gardens, to order supplies for the store from the list that was in her hand. She ran the store when I wasn't up to it. I opened the note. It read, _Don't get into a relationship with him. I'll tell you tonight. Trust me, please_.

I folded the note, and tucked it into a pocket. I'd do as my mom asked. She knew what she was doing. I sighed, and looked up to see Talon watching me somewhat worriedly. "Are you really all right?"

I nodded. "I'll be fine, Talon."

He shook his head. "I'm only Talon in the arena. I'm Jett outside. And you promised me a movie, didn't you?"

I smiled, since chuckling and laughing hurt. "Yeah, I kinda did, didn't I? On the other hand, though, I'm still not able to leave the gardens. That way, people can keep an eye on me while I'm recovering, and I'm not all that far from a place where I can get to easily, when I want to rest."

I led him around to the west side of the house, where there was the most sun. I liked to sit out here on the afternoons, and sketch, even though it was almost frigid, these days in November. I sat on the south side during the noon-ish hours, and I sleep most of the morning away in my warm, soft bed, which is a mattress on the floor, in one of the warmer rooms. He leafed gently through my sketches, with my permission, and said, "You know, there are quite a few rumors flying about you at the arena."

I was instantly interested. "Ooh. I can't wait to hear this!"

He shook his head. "They're actually starting to connect you with your fighting personality."

I nodded. This really _was_ a serious matter. "Have you said anything?"

"No. Should I have?"

I shook my head. "No, but could you start a new rumor? Could you tell them that I'm training for the finals by myself? So there are no distractions? Tell them that Kedakai's in Japan."

"Finals are in three months," he said softly. "What will they say, when you come back all battered as you are? Kedakai, I can't let you."

I shook my head. "And I'm Alessa."

He nodded. "I still can't say that, knowing that you can't even touch a sword after a month of being awake. Not to mention three weeks of being in the hospital. What really happened? The papers didn't go into detail, and you know how us fighters like to know _exactly_what happened. All they know, is that you're the girl who had helped Kedakai prepare for fighting."

I looked at the frozen mosses, just starting to grow upon the rocks. The sun was starting to glint on the ice. "Talon . . . Jett . . . I'm not so sure what had fully happened either. All I know, is that I deflected a blow, got _these_from it, got hit with a dagger _here_, and . . ." I sighed, and indicated the scar that ran from the right shoulder, between my breasts, and ended at my rib-cage. "And this."

He turned my palms over, and gently traced the scars. "They scarred _completely_ in _two months_?!"

I shook my head. "Don't ask me, Jett. Honestly, I should still be bandaging them right now. I know that. My chest is starting to be the same way. It's already nearly fully scarred over."

"But . . . that's not really . . . not really natural, Alessa."

"I know."

"How's that happening?"

I shook my head, and picked up a sketch that I had started that morning. It was of an angel in flight, enjoying the freedom that my own body wouldn't allow me. Jett smiled sadly, and noted the sword that she was carrying. "You're that anonymous artist that does all the illustrations for advertisements."

I smiled. "Yeah. That's me."

He touched the scar on my cheek, but I pulled away. "Please, Jett, I don't think that this would be wise. Friends is enough."

He looked almost regretful, but he smiled nonetheless. "Alessa, I'll do anything for you."

I looked at my palms, scarred. "Please don't say that. I . . ."

Jett blinked, and leaned closer, his voice apologetic. "I . . . I'm sorry. I didn't know that you went for girls."

I smacked him as hard as I could, without my scars tearing. "Just because I'm not interested in you, doesn't mean that I'm not interested in _any_ guy! You pig!"

He was shocked, and he winced, lowering his eyes, as I glared death at him. He held his hands up. "I'm sorry, Alessa. It was easer dealing with you when I thought that you were one of 'the guys,' you know? I just don't end up saying the right things to girls, I guess. I never was good at talking to them, either. I'm sorry."

My anger evaporated, and I touched his shoulder. "I'm sorry for losing my temper, Jett." He looked up. I continued. "And I can help you learn how to deal with a girl, from a girl's point of view. It's just that . . . I think that just dealing with me as if I was still 'one of the guys' would also help."

He nodded, starting to smile. "Hey, you wanna be my best man when I get married someday?"

I hit him again.

Mom was sitting with me, by the small in-door fire that was burning. It was set below floor-level, upon gravel, and surrounded by stone. Jett had left not a half-hour ago, and I was wondering what my mom had meant by the note. She looked at me, and I passed the stick with a marshmallow on it, that was already toasted. She sighed, and I asked, "What did you mean, that I can't get into a relationship with him? I had to yell at him today, and I like him. I didn't want to make him feel bad."

She sighed, and said, "You've been promised in marriage to someone."

I blinked at her. "What? How? When?"

"When is simple. Seven weeks ago, on the day that you were attacked. How . . . isn't as simple, Alessa." She stuck another marshmallow on her stick, and I pulled my one off of my own.

I sighed, and said, "Can you tell me who I'm going to marry?"

She smiled. "You'll see."

"I'll take that as 'no.' Can you at least describe him to me?"

"You're taking this amazingly well," she commented, giving me a small smile.

I sighed, and looked into the flames, feeling their warmth seep into my outstretched hands. "Only because I know that your choice was for the best. That, and because this also eliminates the fact that I have to _search_for a guy, which would be a royal pain."

She chuckled, and said, "He might seem harsh and cold on the outside, but I know that he has a warm heart. He hides it well, so you might have some trouble unearthing his affection for you."

"So he's met me?"

"Seen you, yes. But you haven't said anything to him. He helped save your life, when you were attacked."

"He was there?"

"Yes."

"Did he see it?"

"I'm not sure. I can't get into his mind."

I sat back, and looked into the fire. "How old is he?"

"Not that old. Possibly three, four years older than you. Maybe five, but I doubt he's any older than that. I spoke with him, and he tried to sound older than he really was. The others that were there didn't even notice." She touched my arm, and I looked to her. Mom's smile was warmer than the fire. "He's a good person, and would defend and protect you forever."

I smiled, and looked into the fire again. "Then I'll do the same for him, whoever he is."

I set the sword down, and ran to the stream that ran through the gardens, plunging my burning hands in. I had remembered to make a hole in the ice before I had started practice. I gritted my teeth, as the cold started to soothe, then numb them. I pulled them out, and sighed. seeing small spots of blood on the scars. It would take a while for them to toughen up. I stood, and walked back to the sword, and carefully picked it up, feeling my chest start to pain me. I looked at my watch, waterproof, vintage Transformers Decepticon insignia on the face, and grinned. "Twelve minutes, strenuous exercise. Not bad."

I walked to the Pavilion, and then put some antibiotic salve on my hands, which also numbed them. It was a great relief, after training sessions like the one I had just done. It was ten weeks since the attack, and I had been attending school regularly again, since the sixth week.

And finals were one week away.

"Kedakai!"

It was three days later, and I was back to my normal self, but still pushing to be better.

I heard Jett's voice, and walked out to greet him. I saw a young man on crutches beside him, who blinked at me when I opened the door. I smiled, and said, "You wouldn't have used my fighting name, if you didn't have another fighter here."

"Kedakai, meet Kedamono."

He blinked again. "You . . . _you're_the Kedakai?! But . . . but you're a girl!"

I chuckled, and replied, "Kedamono, listen to yourself. Would a man be able to have as much flexibility as I do? We've fought before. You've seen me. I've done splits defending myself against you."

He hobbled forward, until we were face-to-face. He stared into my eyes, and then nodded. "Talon was right. I thought that he was joking when he said that you were a girl."

I grinned at Jett. "Did he laugh?"

"Yup."

"Kedamono, I'm ashamed of you." He chuckled, and I asked, "Do you think that you'll ever fight again?"

"No," he replied slowly. "Never. Even if I fully recover from the limp, I'll never enter an arena again. Too many bad memories, for two-an-a-half years."

I smiled. "But what about the good memories? When you won the Regional Championship, and went on to the Nationals, representing our arena? When you made a complete clown out of Fang, and he couldn't do a thing about it? You're worshiped by kids all over the place. Even though you're hurt, Kedamono, when I was walking down a street to visit one of my friends after some classes one day, I saw three kids, each arguing that _they_ were Kedamono, The Beast, and that _they_ would rip _my_ arms off, since I had apparently looked at them the wrong way."

He smiled. "What did you say to them?"

I chuckled. "I said that I was Kedakai, and that nobody defeats me twice in serious battle."

Kedamono laughed, and nodded. "Just like that fearless one, too. Did you back your statement up?"

I grinned, and took up an offensive position, as if I held a blade. "The Kedakai and the Kedamono duked it out, while my friend stood by, laughing. She knows, since she helps me when I need it."

I dropped out of the position, and he said, "So you battled one of the Kedamono?"

I shook my head, smiling. "I let one 'kill' me, and I tackled the other two on the snow, tickling them, while the first tried to get me in a choke-hold."

Kedamono smiled, and held out his right hand for me to shake, his Japanese eyes twinkling. "I'm Yamayuurei Itosugi."

I smiled, noting that he said his name in the Asian way, with the family name first. I smiled, shook his hand, and said, "Trubae Alessa. It's an honor to meet you face to face, finally." I smiled to Jett, who was smiling already, and I said to Itosugi, "Please. Allow me to show you around, Yamayuurei-san."

His smile heightened with surprise, and he replied, "_Domo arigatoo._ May I have the honor of calling you Are-chan?" I chuckled, hearing him say it the way that it would be spelled in Japanese, and nodded. He added, "Then please call me Ito-chan. I'm only three-and-a-half years older than you, and calling me Yamayuurei-san makes me feel old."

So he was only twenty-one? Heh. Twenty-one and _cute_! Ooh, I fall hard for Japanese boys. Must be a fetish. I nodded, and helped him up the stairs to show him around. He had left his shoes by the door.

"Are-chan," he said, when he saw my armor room. Everything I used for fighting was here, as I stored it all here. "They're amazing."

I smiled. "They're mostly for show, and I plan upon wearing my usual one for the finals. If I get any farther, then I'll wear one that was made especially for that purpose. They were all forged by Extinction, and are stored here for him to use as reference. Well, all except for _this_ one."

I indicated the one with a chest-plate designed after a Velociraptor. The shoulder-plates were in the same design, as they lacked a lower jaw. The teeth were sharp, and the eyes were glittering. The helmet was in the fashion of my normal one, but with a different design on the back of the head. Where a wolf normally was howling in front of a moon, as that was my former standard in fighting, a Velociraptor's head and neck were there, mouth open in a silent hiss, with fire behind it. Ito-chan smiled, and asked, "May I?"

I nodded. "You're also known for your expertise with armor. I would only be honored."

And so, a new friendship was forged.


	3. Chapter Three

Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Three

It was me against Fang. My hands were bandaged tightly under my gauntlets, but strangely, I didn't feel the scars pulling or tearing slightly, as I usually did. Talon/Jett and I had fought numerous times in the garden, on a stone square, that was the official size of twenty feet by twenty feet. Actually, it was made up of more than thirty different stones, with the seams barely noticeable. We had beaten each other multiple times.

Fang snickered. "Come on, girlie. I know you're weak!"

To prove him wrong, I leapt up, and came down as fast and as hard as I could with the flat of my blade on his right shoulder. His eyes popped wide, and he dropped his sword. A dent as wide as my hand was imprinted an inch deep upon the shoulder-plate. He stumbled to his knees, and looked up at me incredulously. I glared back at him, and raised the sword-tip to his throat. He sighed. "I submit."

I backed away, and was let out, while others helped Fang up and out of the arena. I looked up at the board that showed who was fighting who, and who had defeated who. There were thirty-two fighters in the arena, split into three "platoons" of eight, usually. That didn't matter, as we were competing individually for who would represent the arena in the state competition. I was in the final battle, to decide who would fight in the state finals.

My opponent . . . Talon.

He stood behind me, as I felt his movement. "Well. Looks like we get to fight after all, eh, Kedakai?"

I nodded once, and we walked apart, to our separate rooms. Mom was there, with some salve, as well as fresh bandages. I pulled my helmet off, as well as the armor for my hands and forearms. She took the bandages off of my hands, and rubbed the salve into the scars. For good measure, as well as in good humor, she also rubbed some into the scar on my cheek.

The bell rung, for the five-minute warning, and my mother helped me strap everything on again. She also followed me out, as she had watched my previous battles on a TV set. I had asked her to do so, since I knew that when she was protecting me, she made my ferocity in the arena seem like a kitten's mewls. Her swordsmanship was without flaw, and she had helped me with a few of the harder positions, when my normal trainer was unavailable.

I walked into the central arena, and into the square. The chain-link fence door was closed and locked behind me, after I entered. Talon was directly across from me. Our eyes locked, and I remembered the conversation we had the day before, while resting from a practice. Ito-chan, Itosugi Kedamono, had been sitting with us, after stretching and exercising his once-broken leg. He was secretly getting back into shape for fighting, all the while telling the media that he was uncertain about his future, so he wasn't lying about what he was doing.

"_I won't fight you tomorrow, Alessa."_

"_Jett, don't you start. I don't want you to make yourself lose. You're better than that."_

_He shook his head. "I know. But if we meet in the finals, I will not fight you. I don't want to hurt you unintentionally."_

_I looked up at him, as he stood. "If you don't fight me naturally, I will give you a reason. I don't want to hurt you, if you're only going to stand there."_

_He hadn't answered, as he walked out, leaving me alone with Ito-chan. The Japanese young man looked to me, then said, "You can't stop the wind from blowing, Kedakai." He smiled, and added, "Just as you cannot stop his actions, nor his thinking, Are-chan. I know you wish to fight him formally, but let him do as he will."_

He stood there, and I watched him. I didn't want to risk revealing my identity to the fighters. Talon walked forward, to the center of the square. "Well, Kedakai? Well? What I said I would do, I will. I won't fight you. What are you going to do, Kedakai? Hm? Are you going to give me a reason to fight you?"

I looked down, and to one side. I didn't want to fight him, either. He's like a brother to me. I couldn't hurt him.

I looked back up, and then walked closer to him, until we were in arm's-length distance. His dark brown eyes glinted at me through his helmet. Before I could lay my sword at his feet, showing that I would not fight him, he knelt, and did that exact move to me. I backed a step away, then bowed my head, and nodded once, as he removed his helmet. The fighters, on the floor of the arena, and the spectators, who were in the grandstands, were silent. Then, a yell of warning rose up, and I looked over Talon, to see Fang climbing over the top of the fence. His helmet was off, and a crazy grin was upon his face.

His sword descended as fast as he fell, and I grabbed Talon, and pulled him to my right, sending him rolling across the floor.

The blade cut _through_ my helmet, just missing my left eye, and crossed my previous scar.

_As if in a dream, I heard some part of me stop, freeze, then grip at some surface. Others were around me, and looked at me. I had been telling them something . . . of what I don't know. My hand reached up to touch the place where I had been cut. It wasn't there physically, but the pain . . . the pain of the scrape was._

I just about threw Talon out of the way, as an open-handed swipe from his left hand connected with my right cheek. As he pulled his hand away, and as I backed up, three feet from the fencing, I saw blood on his gauntlet. He held up his hand, and I saw three spikes on it, as sharp, if not sharper than, the sword he carried.

"_I **must** go to her! You do not understand!"_

"_Calm down! She's handled herself before you met her! The incident at the Pavilion was just that, and nothing more!"_

"_You–"_

"'_Ey! Leave 'im alone, Fearless Leaduh! It was **your** idea in da first place, ta help 'er like we did! Da Lizard did what he had to, because **he** felt da most comfortable around 'er, den da rest of us. I don' think dat even **he** knows why! He was da first to her side, when she fell, even before 'er mother. True, she's handled herself, an' all dat, but she's only eighteen. 'Ya can't expect everything ta go da way 'ya plan!"_

_I looked at the shorter person, but his face was fuzzy in my anger. Three more bright pinpoints of pain appeared across my right cheek, dragging down, following the curve of my jaw. I wanted . . . no . . . I **needed** to be there!_

I shook my head, and then flipped up, over Fang, and landing, and running over to Talon's helmet, then flung it over to its owner. His sword soon followed, and I wiped some blood off of my armor, flinging it to the floor in contempt. Fang snickered. "Not fair, that you have a helmet, and I do not have mine. Do you not agree, Kedakai?"

I heard Itosugi's growl of annoyance as well as outrage from behind me. A cane had replaced the crutches over these weeks. The judges were silent. They let us make our own decisions on our own. However, I had seen one press a button . . . a silent alarm. Security, the most ruthless fighters they could find, as well as the most talented and those who lived by honor truly, would soon get here. But would "soon" be quick enough?

I backed a few paces back, and then sighed. That other part of me, that I had seen twice, was watching me. How this was possible, I don't know. But he . . . he?!

Yes. It was a he, a male. I was sure of it now.

_Hmph. I'll talk to Mom about this, if I survive._

I pulled my helmet free, releasing only the chin straps, and ripping the buckle-leather apart, that held it to the metal collar I wore. It landed behind me, and I reached for my sword. Fang was trembling in shock. "You . . . you're a _girl_?! But . . ."

I held my sword in a defensive position, and growled. "Only a girl?"

"And . . . that whelp that I had hit on!"

"You're rather perceptive, now aren't you? Come on, then Fang, let's have it! Are you going to refuse to fight me, now that I'm revealing who I truly am? Or are you going to act like you aren't?"

He lowered his sword, then attacked me, hoping to catch me off-guard. I dodged as well as I could, blocking his thrusts, defending myself carefully, as my head was unprotected, and that was what he was aiming for. Blood dripped whenever my head moved, and I said, "Forgive me, Fang."

I hit his chin in a sweeping punch as hard as I could.

He dropped like a rock.

The judges as well as a medical team ran into the arena. At least fifteen security fighters, all in armor, piled upon Fang, who was beginning to actually starting to come around, five seconds after the blow was exchanged. I sat, and let a medic help clean me up. "Do you mind stitches?"

"I'm sure she does," a calm voice said. I looked over the medic's head, and saw . . .

"Holy . . . why, by heaven above, do I have the feeling of deja vu?" I asked.

He smiled kindly. "You'll see."

Mom appeared by his left side, Talon with her, and I said, "Everything's happening so fast."

She helped me stand, while the medics pretty much taped my cuts shut, and I was lead to my room, being protected from flashing cameras, as well as reporters trying ask me questions. We reached the room, and I looked at the person who I had the feeling of deja vu around. He smiled, and I asked, "What is going on?"

He shook his head, and replied, "We have no time to waste, Alessa. You have to come back to the Pavilion as fast as you can. Someone's mere existence relies upon you alone."

I looked at him, while Ito-chan sighed. "Customs for arena fighting, are that if you don't show up for receiving the award, then you're kicked out of the arena. That, _and_ she's just admitted that she's female, and not a male, as everyone has thought she had been ever since her career started. So who is this person you're talking about?"

He shook his head, not going to tell, when my mother said, "My daughter's fiancé." I looked at her in shock, and she blinked at me calmly. "Alessa, I said that you'd meet him soon, and I'm sorry that I hadn't told you more about him, but you must try to understand, daughter, that it was for the best."

I nodded, and looked at my reflection, seeing the blood still trickling slowly from the wounds. With a wince, I tried mopping it up as best as I could, without widening the wounds. "Will I have these stitched, or what?"

"What," he said. With a sigh, he walked out of the room.

I looked at the closed door, and said, "Well, he's not exactly how I had pictured him . . . but he seems really distressed."

My mother said nothing, and I looked to Talon, who had ran in, and slammed the door after him. He turned to face me, and I sighed. He put his hands on my shoulders, gently turning my face to angle into the light, so he could look at the cuts. When the Maximal had entered again, we were already yelling at each other.

"I _told_ you not to do that!"

"You seemed perfectly content to allow me to surrender!"

"_You_ surrender?!" I yelled. "Bull! _I_ was going to surrender! That was the only way that I could have seen!"

"I would never have allowed you to give up like that! You're too much of a great warrior, Alessa!"

"Then you should have at least started to fight me, then allowed me to win, if all you were going to do was give me the victory!"

A hand touched my shoulder, and I glared at Talon once, before turning. "Yes?"

"He's said that he can wait a few minutes longer," Optimus Primal said. "But you should hurry."

I nodded, and said, "Thank you."

Ito-chan sighed, and leaned upon my shoulder. "How about that? And the ceremony is in under a minute, too."

I yelped, scurried around, and then grabbed Talon's hand, practically dragging him out into the hall. When we reached the third- and fourth-place winners, I let his hand go, but he held onto mine, as he pulled me closer, saying, "Can't you understand? Just a little?"

Brute and Fear looked at me oddly, but I ignored them. With a sigh, I said, "But I didn't want you to give up, Talon. You're better than that, and we both know that. When I was recovering, when I was retraining, we both knew that."

"So you weren't training on your own, huh," Fear said. "Figures. You always could whip my butt, no matter what."

I chuckled, and replied, "Yeah, but I would have been a fair target to anyone who wanted to kill me, on the day I was attacked."

"Did you fight back?" Brute asked, his helmet pinned gently between his side and elbow as he inspected a dagger, smiling, completely at ease with who I was.

I sighed, and shook my head. "She was on steroids, as well as PCP. She was three times as fast, and at least five times as strong as I am on my peak days. Was there any way that I _could_win? I tried, and I managed to defend myself."

"How deep was the gash on your chest?"

I shook my head again. "Pretty deep. It nicked my ribs somewhat deeply, and I was bleeding heavily. Left a massive scar, and I know that the bones are only finishing healing now."

"How many blood transfusions?" Fear asked, apparently liking the fact that I was talking. He wasn't all that bad, when it came down to it.

"Four. Maybe five. I don't remember. I think that they kept me drugged up." I snorted, and grinned. "Although . . . that _would_explain a lot, now . . ."

They laughed, and Brute was announced as the fourth-place. He had originally been fifth, since Fang would have been fourth. He had scored three points less than Fear, while Fear had vanquished Brute. Before he went out into the arena, Brute smiled at me. "You know, I always had suspected that you were a girl. As well as revealing herself to be the tomboy that I have classes with at school, no doubt. Who knew that I was right for once? Welcome to the gang, Kedakai."

I bowed in return, and he walked out, amid yells of congratulations and praise. Fear chuckled. "So, eh-heh . . . you gonna hold it against me if I call you 'boy' now?"

With a laugh, I shook my head. "I'll just pound you into the ground, Fear! I've done so before!"

He grinned wildly, was announced, and left. Talon looked down at me. "You know, I really am jealous of whoever you've been betrothed to. Aren't you mad about your mom making a decision for you, without your permission, since you're now fully of age? Can't you declare the marriage-to-be null? I mean, this isn't the Medieval ages, Ales. It's twenty-sixty-three."

I shook my head. "I trust Mom fully, and I respect her judgements. She's everything that I would like to be to my own children, if I ever have them, someday. And if someone needs me this badly, I'd be in debt. I can't give up."

He touched my shoulder, and I looked up at him. His eyes were sad. "I would give anything to be that man right now, you know that?"

I nodded, but heard footsteps, and decided that it would be a bad idea to touch him. His hand left my shoulder, as he was announced. His eyes were starting to become wet, and I said, "Meet me at the Pavilion on Monday. That's my day off. We'll talk then, okay?"

He nodded, and entered the arena, a smile already pasted upon his face. Girls screamed for him, demanding that they marry him, that they love him, etc. It got nauseating after a while. Especially, when you have girls actually asking _me_ to marry them! That was one raunchy sleep-over, when my friends first heard of that, I can assure you.

"Now, for the regional champion, Kedakai!"

I walked out, thinking that it would be dead silent, but . . .

But he crowds were barely containing themselves. They were absolutely _wild_ with yells of boys yelling out that they loved me, that girls were cheering me on, telling me that I was better than all of the rest of the fighters . . . I looked around at them, and smiled, bowing to all four sections of the stands. They cried out encouragement, for me to heal fast, for me to get back into the ring. I closed my eyes, and then opened them, feeling _tears_start to fall. I drew my sword, and raised it in tribute to the people, silently thanking them. There were no words for the extent of gratitude that they hadn't rejected me.

Silly, isn't it?

Not really.

I heard the announcers actually commenting on my tears, wondering what they were from, why I was shedding them. I looked up at them, and bowed, still smiling. They started arguing over which one I had smiled at, and the crowd laughed, as I smiled.

I walked up to the person who presented the medals to the winners, and bowed, letting her place it around my neck. She smiled at me, and whispered, "My daughter always liked you, and has always wanted to be an arena fighter, but they didn't accept girl fighters."

I smiled, and replied, "They do now."

It was announced that there was going to be a new part added into the competition: There would be a group of the top four fighters of an arena, pitted against another group of four from another arena. All armor was also going to be provided by the foundation, so we wouldn't have to worry about spending money upon that. It would be based upon our normal armor, but would be re-used, melted down, after all was said and done.

The actual _president_of the foundation walked up to us, and handed me my helmet, saying, "You did well, Kedakai. I've been told that your nickname means 'noble,' as well, in Japanese. You certainly did live up to it today, and I wish you and your team the best of luck in the Regional Finals."

We bowed, and reporters took his place. I looked over their heads, and met my mother's gaze. She frowned, and nodded once. I looked to Talon, and said, "I've gotta split."

"Yeah, but the media . . . ?"

Fear and Brute grinned up at me, and started talking to a group of reporters, demonstrating moves. Talon joined them, as did I, for three, but I quietly left, and ran into the room, stripping my armor off as fast as I could. Ten minutes later, I was on the highway, nearing the Pavilion. Fifteen minutes revealed that we were in the store's parking lot, and twenty found us in the Pavilion itself.

There were four Maximals outside my room. I recognized them as Cheetor, Silverbolt, Airazor, and Tigatron. They looked up at me as I entered, and I looked at the door. "Who's in my room?"

"Rhinox, Rattrap, and Dinobot," Cheetor replied, his face lighting up the moment he saw me. "Do 'ya remember me?"

I blinked, sighed, and said, "Not yet. But I'm sure that I will soon."

He nodded, and I touched the door, as if testing what lay beyond it. My mother put her hand on my shoulder, and I opened the door, and entered the room, closing it behind me, quickly, before I could turn and run. I was almost afraid of what lay beyond the sliding wooden-and-paper door.

On a makeshift bed, lay Dinobot.

It couldn't be.

But it was.


	4. Chapter Four

Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Four

Mom walked in, as my eyes and Dinobot's optics met for the first time. He started to move, but I was beside him in an instant, carefully, gently keeping him on his back. He was a mess. There was a gash upon his right cheek, following his . . . his cheekbone. I touched my own scar, on my left cheek, and then saw his chest. A long, ugly laceration ran from his left shoulder . . . to nearly his right hip.

It mirrored my own.

I raised my eyes to gain his gaze again, and kept it, as I asked, "What happened?"

He replied in a low voice, breathing heavily, "I was battling . . . seven Predacons . . . all at once. Perhaps . . . perhaps it will kill me."

I put my hand on his shoulder, and looked up at Rhinox, as memories that once had been lost started to come back. "He saved my life before, when I got these scars. Isn't there _some_thing I can do? I don't want him to die any more than he wanted me to."

His hand went up slowly, to weakly touch my own. I looked at him, and took his hand in both of my own, then bent my head over it, sighing. Rhinox's voice was gentle. "He'll tell you what needs to be done. I cannot."

He left the room, gently taking my mother with him. Rattrap touched my shoulder, and I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, then fully. He smiled a little, then said, "You . . . you both get better, 'kay?"

I smiled in return, and nodded. He left, and I heard no more feet shuffling outside the door. Dinobot shifted again, and his optics dimmed. "You . . . Hn. You might be embarrassed . . . by what has to be done."

I snorted. "I don't care what it is, but . . . on a scale of one to ten?"

He blinked, paused, then replied, "It is hard to say."

"Like I said: Scale of one to ten."

"I don't know."

I reached out slowly, hesitantly, then steeled myself, and touched his brow, letting my fingers slide to the side of his head. I rested my hand there, and said, "Even _you're_ nervous."

"I . . . I hurt. I'm in pain."

I nodded, and he turned his head to one side, looking away from me. I leaned over him, and there I saw . . . I will not tell what I saw, only that it took some time before he was calm again. He was stressed about something, but what . . . ? He didn't say.

The sun shed its final rays, and I decided to give up. I pulled his upper torso up off of the bed, and cradled him against me, not caring what he thought of me. He needed comfort. His bloodied hand went up to grasp my upper arm, as he turned his face into my right shoulder. I sighed, and said, "Tell me what has to be done, Dinobot. I have to help you. It's . . . it's my duty as a future . . . future wife, I guess."

He looked up at me, his face like that of a child's, disbelieving. "Future . . .Who told you that it was in the future?"

"My mother. Why?"

"She didn't tell you that you were already?"

I blinked down at him, then sighed, and smiled. "Well, now things make sense, especially a few of the things that Mom said to me."

He sighed, and told me, hesitantly, of course, a little embarrassed and somewhat ashamed of what I had to do, but I didn't care. "So you saying that since my shirt was already ripped, then it was possible for us to . . . what was it?"

"Conjoin."

I nodded. "Right. I'm sorry, I'm just a little tired from the day. So that's all?"

He nodded his head once, and it looked painful. I sighed, and looked around us. My eyes had adjusted to the early darkness that comes with winter in the northern hemisphere, as it was now December, and only five-forty-five, and as dark as it would be, if it were eight-thirty in July. I looked back at him, and smiled, saying, "Well, at least it's dark."

His smiled was slow, pain-filled, and barely there, but I saw it, and recognized it.

Well, here goes nothing.

Pain . . .

_Much_ pain . . .

My chest hurt again, my palms hurt again, the first scar on my cheek hurt again . . . as well as the four new ones. They had cauterized and healed during the process, the conjoining. Not to mention, that all my scars had reopened. Even if it were all for nothing, though, I'd do it all over again if it meant that Dinobot would stop hurting.

I was curled up beside Dinobot, barely breathing. It hurt. He jerked awake, as he had fallen asleep before the process was done. How, I don't know, but as soon as he was alert, my world hurt more. I groaned, and buried my face into his shoulder. "Stop thinking. It hurts."

I could feel him look at me, and I reached behind me for my spare shirt that I had put there, since the other one had his blood . . . No . . . it was called mech-fluid . . . but how did I know that?

Anyway, I hated the thing. It was pink. Why couldn't _that_ shirt have been the one that had been ripped when I was attacked, or even now, and not my more-favored navy-blue one? Dinobot blinked. "You're . . . where are you going?"

"Getting painkiller. And food. I can't go without either." I blinked, as he chuckled slightly. My own chuckle blended with his, and I admitted, as I pulled the shirt over my head, saying, "Yeah, that sounded pretty bad, didn't it?"

He nodded, and I sat up carefully, then stood, walking over to the closet, and pulled out my futon that I used when staying at the Pavilion. After spreading out all the official bedding, I helped Dinobot up, and over to the bed, then back down. I spread a blanket over him, and he looked up at me, in a sort of odd sort of way. He voiced his thought a moment later. "Why are you caring so much for me, when you're just about as injured as I am?"

I smiled, and said, "Your heart hurt just as much as my body was hurt, when I was attacked. Don't deny it. I felt it. Still, you saved me, you cared for me. I remember waking up five times, while in the hospital. Every single time, I felt you near me, somewhere, wether it was by the foot of my bed, watching me, by my side, and . . . correct me if I'm wrong, but once, I thought that you were in your beast mode, keeping me warm."

He nodded slowly. "The heating system in your room gave out, and I kept you warm, until they could move you. You woke up not a minute after I did so."

"Why don't I remember more?"

He chuckled. "They kept you drugged quite well."

I smiled, and shook my head. "Figures. I knew it." Once we had looked at each other, again, I asked, "Did you need anything?"

He shook his head. "No. Not yet."

"Yet? Nourishment? Nothing?"

He smiled. "I have no doubt that Rhinox will lecture you later."

I pulled the blanket up and around him, then grabbed a sweater, and said, "Sleep. I'll be back soon. Please don't try to get up."

He nodded, and it looked like he fell asleep right away. I leaned over carefully, and touched his brow again, gently. I let myself kiss it lightly, then left, before he could wake up from that one touch. I entered the kitchen, which was more modern, and I saw Michael, also called Brute, and Itosugi there. They looked up at me, and visibly jumped. I looked at them in shock, then touched my face, and remembered the scars. I winced. "Yeah. Hi."

"Wh . . . what happened?" Michael asked.

Before I could find an excuse, he looked to behind me with wide eyes. I turned, and saw Rattrap at the door, anxiety written all over his face. "How is he?"

I smiled, and nodded. "Asleep, from what I could tell, and breathing easier. He'll take a while to return to his normal self, but . . ." I looked at him solemnly. "What is it?"

"He can't come back with us. It'd be too harsh on 'im, an' we don't want 'im collapsin' under all da pressure." He walked further into the room. "So you remember?"

"Most things," I replied. "I'm remembering more of what had happened on the day I was attacked. Then, even a little of my drugged-up hospital days."

Michael looked at me. "So you were right?"

Ito-chan was laughing. "I knew there was something odd about you after you came out!"

I glared at them, and then went around the kitchen, starting to boil water, as well as toast a bagel. Hmm . . . peanut butter? Or cream cheese? Ooh . . . cream cheese _and_ seedless strawberry jam! _Now_ we're talking!

Rattrap sat, and we were soon joined by my mother, Silverbolt, and Cheetor. The wolf, as well as the younger Maximal, were full of questions about me. I answered them through mouthfuls of food as fast as they asked them. Soon, though, Optimus came in, and sat, watching me. I turned, and put tea down on the lacquered table for Mom, Jett, and Ito-chan, and myself. I looked at the other four Maximals. "Tea?"

"What does it taste like?" Cheetor asked.

I blinked. "Uhm . . . without sugar, this flavor's kinda fruity. It's called Chinese Black Tea, but it's really good. Other flavors can be bitter, but this one's sweet-ish."

Optimus was smiling behind a hand, and Ito-chan sipped the tea, and then grimaced, blew on the liquid, and I laughed. "Do you like it frozen, Ito-chan?"

"You Europeans frighten me at the heat you drink the tea at! _Baka._"

I glared at him in play, clicking my tongue. "No name-calling, Ito-chan! And in another language, as well . . . it's just plain rude!"

He grinned, bowing elegantly over the cup. _"Hai, onna no ko no meiyo ni atai suru."_

I blinked. "Right. Lemme think . . . 'Hai' means, yes, 'onna no ko' means girl, 'no' means of, 'meiyo' means honor . . . but you lost me after that." I snorted. "My synopsis: you're mocking me!"

He ran out of that room faster than I had seen him move in months, laughing.

Optimus and Mom wouldn't stop laughing at me, either.

Later that evening, after a rough Cybertronian anatomy and physiology crash course from Rhinox, when the numbers on the digital clock changed to 8:00, I was entering my room. I knew I had been blushing deeply around every corner. I'm just like that. That, and Rhinox was chuckling every so often, after looking at me. He was apologetic afterwards.

Dinobot was breathing deeply, and Rhinox had declared him to be in the safe zone, after a brief examination while I had been making myself tea out in the kitchen. I changed behind a screen, and then walked to the bed, and crawled between the sheets, putting my back to the Maximal, wanting to give him his privacy.

I heard his voice. "Before you left . . ."

I didn't turn. Crap. He hadn't been asleep after all. Gah . . .

"Why?"

I looked over my shoulder at him, finally, but he wasn't looking at me. I returned to looking at my closet, and replied, "I thought that you had fallen asleep. Forgive me."

Before I really could understand what was happening, he had pulled me close to him, turning me in the process, so that I was curled into him once again. He looked into my eyes. "Why, when there was nothing that you did that should give me reason to demand an apology from you?"

"But . . ." He shook his head, and I leaned into him again, then whispered, "Everything's happening too fast for me to really keep up with the day."

"Tell me. I've waited for so long, to listen to you speak to me."

I sighed. "I got ready this morning, for the Regional Finals. I didn't know that I was going to win, much less win by my _friend_ actually _laying_ his sword in front of me! Surrendering, to _me_. Then, literally, right after that, I was attacked by Fang, who had placed fourth. He had been on my case ever since I started at the arena."

Dinobot touched the new scars. "He did this to you."

I nodded, and he gently pulled my head down to rest on his shoulder. I closed my eyes. "Then, once I knocked him senseless, defending myself, I was approached by Optimus, who said that I had to get back here."

"Yes," Dinobot said. "He called Rhinox, since my comm-link was scrapped. Rhinox said that I would survive."

"How long would you have had?" I asked, afraid of the answer.

"As long as you lived, although it would have taxed us considerably. We're connected in spirit or soul . . . never got those two straight, anyway . . . but I would live in pain," he said. His hand went up to gently tug on a strand of my bangs. He absently wrapped it gently around a finger, then released it, resting his hand on my shoulder, instead.

That night, as I fell asleep, I realized that Mom was right about him. Everything that she had said to describe him, was right.

In my last act in consciousness, I wrapped my left arm over his chest, and pulled myself closer to the new source of heat, sighing, as the last of the immediate pain wore away, leaving behind only the sensation of pain that I felt from Dinobot's healing wounds.

Yet somehow I felt that in his heart, his spirit still pained him in some way.


	5. Chapter Five

Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Five

I was up and at the stone square, clearing it off of last night's two-inch snowfall. Luckily, it was light, and all I had to do was sweep it. My breath hung on the air in white clouds, as I started a path down the center of the square. With every pass I made, I widened it on one side, then on the other, using the monotonous task to think about yesterday. I was married, and to a . . . a person that I had once believed only existed within a television show. He was also different from the way they had portrayed him. He wasn't as cold and harsh as they had said. He actually seemed to be more understanding, more level-headed, than he "should" be.

But, then again, he's still in shock, a bit. His body had been mangled, and he was healing.

"Alessa?"

I looked up briefly, and saw Optimus. I smiled, as I flicked another bunch of snow towards the edge of the pond. Many a time, I had fallen in, when I mis-judged a step. "Good morning."

"Is this punishment?"

I chuckled, and replied, "Not at all. This is my warm-up. I sweep the square, and then I start into my exercises."

"You practice daily?"

"Of course. I have to keep my edge, no matter what."

He nodded, and I did a second pass of the whole square, spreading a sand/salt mixture from a pouch onto the icy patches. After about five more minutes of silence from Optimus, he asked, "Would you mind if I watched?"

I shook my head. "Of course not. I'm used to crowds watching me, yelling insanely for me to rip everyone else's heads off." I turned to look at him. "But I have the feeling that you'll watch pretty much silently."

"True," he replied, chuckling.

I knocked the bristles of the broom against the base of one of the round wooden pillars that held up the roof of the veranda, and placed it in a closet. Before I walked into my room, I peeked in, to see if Dinobot was awake or not. If he was, I would grab my practice sword. If he was asleep, I'd go and take one of my swords from my armor room, which was just to the right of my room.

"Well? Who is it?"

I opened the door, and said, "I was hoping that you'd still be asleep."

He blinked, and sighed, but it seemed to be painful for him. "And why would you wish that?"

"I wouldn't have to hear you complain that you can't get up and out."

"Again, tell me why?"

"I'm practicing outside."

He blinked. "Slaggit. You're right."

With a chuckle, I reached around my door, just to the right, and took the sword that hung there down, slinging it over a shoulder. "I'll be back in about fifteen minutes. I'm only doing a light workout this morning."

"Your palms are bleeding."

I looked at them in shock, then swore. "Go figure." With a sigh, I carefully reached into a drawer, and pulled out two handkerchiefs, and wadded them against my palms. "Thanks."

"Why did they reopen?"

"You're full of questions."

"Can you blame him?" Ito-chan's voice asked.

I turned, and smiled. "Hey. Itosugi, this is Dinobot. My husband."

He bowed, and Dinobot nodded, trying to sit up. I didn't say or do anything, but he fell back onto the futon, much to his chagrin. I said quietly, "You're still much too weak, Dinobot."

Ito-chan asked, "Would you mind if I wrapped your wife's palms for her? She can't tie the knots as well as others can."

Dinobot shrugged. "If you wish to. She'll most likely balk at your help."

I glared at him, while replying to Ito-chan. "And what do you think I've been doing while nobody was around, and my palms bled?"

The Japanese young man grinned. "Tried to tie them with your teeth."

"Bingo. And, Ito-chan, I succeeded. So don't you start giving me any of that _kuso_."

I grinned at his shocked expression, but he knocked me on my butt, and said, "Do you actually wish for me to get your mother in here?"

I winced, and said, _"Iie. Sumimasen, Ito-chan."_

"_Hai._ Apology accepted." He allowed me up, so that we could move closer to Dinobot. "What were you doing, so that your palms cracked and bled?"

"I was out, clearing the square."

"You forgot your gloves."

"Yep."

Dinobot chuckled dryly, and I sighed, leaning back against him a little, while Ito-chan finished wrapping my palm. Not only was the palm wrapped, but it extended to about three inches above my wrist, making it look more like the wrapping I used when fighting in my armor, to keep my wrists from hyper-extending. He did the other hand, and I sighed. "Ito-chan, what have you heard about the Regional Championships?"

"I'm on the judging committee. Apparently, they think that I'm going to give up my career, the _kisama_. They're complete idiots."

I pulled may hand away, feeling the gauze loosen. "You're . . . you're really retraining?!"

He smiled, grabbed my hand, and pulled it back, tightening the gauze again. "Of course, Are-chan. Why not? I can't disappoint those who have looked up to me in the past. I would be betraying their trust. There. Done."

I embraced him, then pushed him over, and kicked his good shin. "You know, Kedamono, you should be shot."

Dinobot chuckled, and said, "Are you going to practice, Alessa?"

I blinked at him. "Me?" I shook my head. "Regionals are in two weeks, and I have to start pulling my _real_ armor into fighting shape!"

I was out of the room, using the door beside my closet, and in the armor room in an instant. Itosugi called after me, "Are you using the armor that you showed me?"

"Yeah!"

Dinobot and Ito-chan started up a conversation, but it stopped, when I dropped my helmet accidentally by Dinobot's head, causing him to flinch. He looked at the chest-plate that I carried, as I set it down, worried. "Are you okay? I'm sorry I dropped it."

Ito-chan laughed, and patted my shoulder. "I'll tell Jett that you're starting ahead of him. He'll want to catch up."

I looked at him, as I balanced on my haunches. "Could you get Fear and Brute's numbers, so that I can call them, too?"

"Don't you worry about it. I'll get in touch with them. You have more important things to deal with."

He left, and Dinobot reached over slowly, then picked the helmet up, looking it over. I could tell that he was seeing every detail, every strength, every flaw, although flaws were basically nonexistent. Extinction's forges turns out high-quality, rather _expensive_ armor. Fortunately, this was a gift.

Dinobot nodded finally, but before he could say anything, there was a knock on the door. I stood to open it, and I saw Optimus there. He smiled. "I thought that you would be practicing."

I chuckled. "So did I, but I have to get my armor into full working order."

I stood to one side, and let him in. He picked the chest-plate up, and looked it over carefully. "How are you faring, Dinobot?"

His reply was delayed. "Well enough."

"Well enough for what, Dinobot?"

The question wasn't answered. I could tell that Optimus was trying to get through to Dinobot, to try to get him to see that this, that leaving him here with me, was for the best. I stepped in, and picked up the armor gauntlet, rubbing at a tarnish that I saw there. "Well enough, that in two weeks, he can travel into Boston, the Fleet Center, for the Regional Championship. In three days, he should be well enough, so that if we bundle him up in enough blankets, that he would be able to watch me and my team practice outside in the stone square."

Optimus watched me silently. I looked back up at him, and he said, "So you agree."

"A warrior without a war isn't a warrior anymore; simply a fighter without a cause. I don't agree on any level. Dinobot is comfortable in the Wars. He isn't comfortable here, even though I'm with him. Before you even offer, Optimus, I cannot join the Maximals. I have duties here, to my mother, to my work, to my college, and to prove my loyalty the WeyQuinTree Arena. I can't give that up. _That_is my cause, just as serving in the Beast Wars is Dinobot's. Can you try to understand?"

He was still watching me. Finally, he nodded. "I can see that it was Dinobot's choice after all, no matter what we said or didn't say."

I stood, and picked my sword up again. "I have practicing to do. Armor polishing can wait until later."

As I walked out into the square, it occurred to me that I had left, because I didn't want to know what Dinobot had chosen.

I walked into the room, to see Rhinox kneeling by Dinobot, talking quietly. He looked up as the door opened, and I said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."

Rhinox chuckled. "You weren't, Alessa, don't worry. You and I _do_ have to speak, though." I nodded, and he left, patting my shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll come and get you, when I have time."

Dinobot didn't look at me. I decided to bring the subject up, and then cry about it later, when Hoshi was around. She always had been my best friend, as well as my assistant. She knew what would heal heartbreak . . . heartbreak? Where did that come from? I shook my head slightly, and knelt next to Dinobot, picking up my helmet, which was by his head. There was a rough sketch under it, of the helmet itself, with lines upon it, in red. I looked at him, and asked, "Did you do this?"

He growled indecisively. "It . . . is merely a suggestion."

I looked at it again, and saw that the lines represented the scars upon my face. I smiled, and replied, "I like it. That's an idea I've never thought of before. I guess that I should also stripe the palms on the armor that goes over my gauntlets, as well as the chest-plate, huh?"

He shrugged, still not looking at me. "It is your choice."

I put the helmet back on the ground, and leaned over his head. He looked up at me, and I asked, "Will you leave with them?"

His optics dimmed, and he said, "Negative."

"But . . . you . . ."

"I do not belong in that war any longer. It is not my place, as it once was a mere week ago."

I nodded, and he sighed, starting to fall asleep again. I put my hand on the side of his head, and he looked up at me, his face showing his despair. I traced his brow, and then sighed. "Your heart's breaking, Dinobot, don't deny it. You still love that rush of . . . of whatever, adrenaline, in human terms, that you get when a battle is raging around you. I know. I understand. I feel the same way about fighting within the arena. Do what you feel is right. I'll back you up all the way."

He looked away, almost as if he were staring _through_me, and nodded. I touched his shoulder, and he focused upon me again. I smiled, and said, "You need your rest, Dinobot. I'm sorry that I kept you up."

"You said that in three days, I should be well enough to watch you practice."

I chuckled. "Outside, Dinobot. I stretch and practice enough in here. I'm lucky enough not to trip and fall through any walls."

He smiled, tired. "_Through_the walls. Not _into_ as one normally would."

I nodded, and he started drifting off into sleep. I picked the helmet up, as well as the three other pieces of armor, that I had mentioned, and grabbed my paint, a clear shellac, thinner, and four brushes, just in case. I lugged everything outside, and then set it down, facing everything up. First, I started upon the helmet, carefully taking off any of the paint and the clear final coat in the areas that I was going to be painting. I pained the five stripes, and set it down, letting it dry. Next, I moved onto the palms of the armoring for my hands, and then let _that_start to dry. When I reached the chest-plate, I looked at the helmet. The paint had started to drip. I blinked, and then smiled, setting the hand-protection up, so that they would drip as well. I liked the effect. I painted the chest-plate, and set it up, leaning against the house. I looked over my shoulder, and saw snow starting to fall lightly.

Two hours later, everything was finished, and was drying outside, in the cold air. That was how I always dried everything. The cracked paint made it look like it was old and antique. It's been commented on before, since once it happened completely upon accident. I've kept doing that since, and I'm not just about to stop now.

I entered the room, and Dinobot looked at me, awake once more. I smiled kindly, and said, "Are you bored now?"

"Please. Anything to keep me busy."

I chuckled, and propped him up, so that he was in a semi-sitting position. I handed him a mechanical pencil, as well as a fresh pad of sketching paper, and said, "Knock yourself out."

He looked at me, and I shrugged, as if to say, "What? You _said_ that you were bored."

Dinobot looked at the paper, and then at the pencil, and started something. I smiled, and examined the helmet that I had worn yesterday, that Fang had basically destroyed. I opened up the sides, and looked at the insides of the cuts. Soon, I looked up at Dinobot, who was absorbed in sketching. With a chuckle within my mind, I returned to looking over the battered helmet. There were many scratches upon the paint, as well as dents that it had received, when I had made many nose-dives. Those were from when I was still trying to get used to the armor, and the ways that it would let me move.

There was a touch upon my shoulder, and I turned to look at Dinobot. He seemed to ask a question with his eyes, but I couldn't really understand it. Finally, I asked in a whisper, "Yes?"

He shook his head, and asked to lie back down. I helped him, and then left the room, after quietly organizing the rest of my armor in a corner. I walked out to the frozen Japanese garden. Rhinox was there, also looking at the scene, with Tigatron and Airazor. I walked across the stepping-stones that went across a lake, into the center, over to an island. I brushed off the small stone bench that I had placed out there, for thinking purposes, as well as anything else that came up. Hoshi and a former boyfriend once sat out on it all night. What they did, I never asked her, and I don't plan on doing anytime soon.

"May I come over?" I looked over at Rhinox, and patted the sturdy bench next to me. He walked over, and stood before me, his face kind. "I hope that you don't mind me."

I shook my head, and he sat next to me. The rock didn't move. Good. I placed it correctly. I asked him about Dinobot, how he was doing, in his current condition. He blinked, and said, "If he continues along the line that he is, at the pace that he is, then he'll be clinically depressed within weeks."

"Is there anything that could get him out of that condition, if it starts to become that serious?"

He sighed. "Not much."

"Well, can you tell me what options there are?"

He gave me a look, that plainly said, "Think." I blinked, and immediately blushed. With a sigh, I said, "Yeah . . . I can see that as an option."

He chuckled, patted my back, and said, "Well, there _are_ other options, Alessa! Activity in an area that he likes, not necessarily _that_, but something that connects with him on a deeper level, should bring him up again."

"Swordfighting."

"Yep."

I sighed, and he explained something else, that took me literally three minutes to take in. Then, with a jerk, I looked at him, and said in a hissing whisper, "_He_ can turn into a _human_?! When were you going to tell me this?! When did you find this out?!"

He smiled, and said, "When we were having a low week, he was probably thinking about you–" I blushed, and he chuckled, finishing, "–and something happened. He changed into a _human_, Alessa! Imagine!"

I blushed further. "I don't really want to. Thanks, Rhinox. My mind will be in the gutter for the rest of the night. I am _so_grateful."

He laughed. "So you're human after all, eh?"

I slapped his arm lightly, and stood, wiping off a plaque that my mother had set here, in memory of my grandmother, who had died of cancer. I looked at the bronze, and heard, "Alessa! Inside, please!"

I sighed. "Thanks, Rhinox."

I was starting to walk over, when Rhinox touched my arm. "Good luck, Alessa."

With a frown, I turned, and asked, "What?"

"Good luck. You're on your own. We're leaving today. Within five minutes. That's why you're called inside now."

I sighed, and said, "Thanks. I hope that we meet again, Rhinox."

"Me too."

I was inside with Dinobot, three hours later. He was staring up at the ceiling, noticeably more regressed within his mind than this morning. I leaned over his face, and touched his nose, smiling gently. "Hey."

He grunted, and proceeded to stare through me. I sighed, and blinked. "You make wonderful conversation, I hope you know." He focused upon me again, and I asked, "What did you sketch earlier?"

"Something that belongs to me, and me alone."

I smiled, glad that I had gotten a verbal answer out of him that was more than one syllable. "Am I allowed to know?"

He sniffed. "You're not _that_oblivious, are you?"

I chuckled, and realized that I had felt his eyes upon me while I was looking at the helmet. He had been watching me. I smiled up at him, and saw the effort that it took, to smile in return. I touched his nose again, tapping the end, causing him to blink. I chuckled at the surprised look on his face, and crawled into the bed next to him, warming his side. I felt him shift slightly, then his arm went around to encircle me. I turned to face him, and he looked at me, with the same questioning look in his eyes as before.

"That look . . . what question does it hold?"

A slow blink was the only reply.

I smiled, and whispered, "That you can be as human as I am?"

He nodded. "I was wondering if you had guessed by now. Or . . . or if you were perhaps told by someone else . . ."

I smiled, and replied, "Yes, I was told."

He nodded slowly, and I sat up, to move the pillow, and replace it with my lap. He needed the comfort, I knew. I've had to leave my friends, and an old life, then start anew in a new school. I had to make more friends, and even though I was considered one of the "lower class," that was constantly picked upon, I made friends that I would remember for a lifetime. Hoshi was one of them. She and I will remember each other until the end.

He looked up at me, and I smiled in return. "Sleep. I'll stay here. I have armor to polish, and buckles to align. You don't have to worry."

"What is there to worry about?"

I didn't answer that, but instead, I smiled. He must have realized that I wasn't going to answer, as he let himself start to fall asleep. With a sigh, he released his consciousness, but I stayed where I was, just watching him. He was worried. What about, though, I didn't understand. I couldn't read his feelings.

He started to moan quietly, and with a start, he tried to sit up. As he fell back, I caught him gently, and he looked back at me. He looked away, and asked, "How long was I out?"

"Five, ten minutes? Not that long."

"You . . . you were sitting there, for that period of time, when you could have been finishing your armor?"

I smiled, nodded, and asked, "Do you think that you can go to your beast mode?" He nodded in reply, and I said, "Then do so. I'll tell you why in a moment. And my armor can wait. I don't want to polish it, when it could still have wet spots."

With my help, he stood, and transformed, losing his balance, and falling against me at the last moment. I stumbled, caught my _own_balance, and waited for him to open his eyes. When he stopped wobbling back and forth, I quickly reached down, and pulled the two blankets he had been under, over his shivering back. He looked at me. "What are you doing?"

I smiled, and led him towards the door, at his own pace. "You need to get out of this room. If you don't, then things could get messy, for the both of us."

I brought him to the small fireplace, where a fire was already laid out. Terrence was there, looking over his armor for the individual fights, when we entered. He looked up, saw me, saw Dinobot, and smiled. I chuckled, and asked, "Is there room for two more?"

"Anything, for the Kedakai, you know!" He pointed with a screwdriver to a glass kettle that sat over the flames, boiling. "And there's the makings for cider. You look like you need it."

He saw the question in my eyes, and quickly got up, and arranged a round futon mattress by the fire, close enough to feel the heat, but far enough away, that it wasn't too hot. I helped Dinobot curl up on it, and he sighed. "You're fixing that the wrong way."

Terrence blinked. I could almost see him thinking, _What?! It talks?!_running through his mind. "Huh? How?"

Dinobot leaned slightly closer, looking at the armor that he was fixing, and then said, "It won't fit you, if you position the buckle at the location that you already have started to apply it at."

"So . . ."

Dinobot yawned, and I picked up the shoulder-protection. "Oh. He's right, you know. It looks like you should either find a longer piece of leather, and chance it getting cut, or move it more towards the point, here, so that it's more protected. If you don't believe Dinobot, have Itosugi look at it. He'll tell you the same thing." I grinned, knowing how much Terrence feared a certain armorist/fighter. "I know! How about we call Extinction, and _he'll_ come take a look at it! Gosh knows, he's cut up enough armor to last him a lifetime." Dinobot looked to me, a questioning look on his face. I smiled. "_Amazing_ arena fighter, who doubles as an armorist."

Terrence shuddered, and I heard another chuckle. The very Japanese young man who we were talking about entered the room. "I already have, but he was being so stubborn about it, that I let it be. Here, Are-chan. Let me pour that for you. Your hands are moving as if they pain you."

I sat, and replied, "Someday, I'm going to find out how you know these things."

He handed me the mug, filled with hot cider, and breathed the scent in deeply. It always reminded me of the days when I went apple-picking with my family, when I was younger. A talon tapped my arm, and I looked to Dinobot. "Hm?"

"What is it?"

"Apple cider." I took a sip, and gasped out, "Very _hot_apple cider! Ow!"

The two fighters laughed, while Dinobot glared at them, for laughing at my expense. I chuckled, and touched the tip of his nose, smiling. "Hey. Don't worry. It's not like I have much pride left, after being beaten numerous times in my arena."

He growled softly, reluctant to give in, but I asked, "Once this is cool enough, did you want to try it?"

"Not likely."

I smiled, nodded, and replied, "Okay. Your loss, though."

He remained mainly silent, while Mom came in, and handed out fresh-baked cookies, that someone had made over in the café in the store, three miles north of the Pavilion. I ate quite a few, and helped debate upon the areas of Michael's armor, that needed servicing.

Dinobot fell asleep, and the boys left soon after. I could feel Mom watching me, as I looked at my previously-unknown husband, and I looked up at her. She smiled, and asked, "Did you need help bringing him back, or are you going to stay here?"

I blinked, then replied, "I'm not going to wake him up, but if he does, then I'll bring him to my room, and get him back into bed."

"You'll be sharing the room?"

I smiled, and shrugged. "Well . . . we _are_ married, after all."

"By their standards, at least."

I nodded. "Yeah. I know."

She smiled, patted my shoulder, and handed me another blanket for myself. After she left, I made myself more cider, and watched Dinobot's breathing. It was freeing up, and he didn't have to struggle anymore. He was healing, granted, but only physically. He held up a front, as if he were fine all around, but I knew that he wasn't.

I would have to wait until he told me himself.


	6. Chapter Six

Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Six

I leapt up, kicked , and followed through with a swipe downward from my left shoulder, ending around my right hip. With a few more moves, I felt a distinct splitting feeling, and I ran to the pond's edge. It was still frozen over, so I had to kick at the ice, and then dump my right hand in, up past my wrist, jacket and all. I winced, and finally pulled my hand out, feeling the warm blood take place of the icy water. With a sigh, I turned, and walked back towards the house, seeing Dinobot frowning on the veranda, wrapped up within blankets. It was the twelfth day. Two more days, and I would be fighting and preforming in the State Champs.

He stood, carefully, and then pulled me into the warmth of the blanket, holding me close to him, while he gently looked at my hand. "Again, eh?"

"Pain, Dinobot. Pain. I have to go in and bandage this again."

We walked in, and Mom took one look at me, and glared, pointing to a stool. Dinobot sat in a chair, the blankets still around him, but looser. He hated the transition of going between warmth and cold, but he seemed to be getting better, each and every time that we came back in from my practice. Mom peeled off my jacket, as well as my sweater and my long-sleeve shirt, leaving me in my sleeve-less. She cut away the original light bandage, and then looked at my palm. "Well. Would you look at this."

I looked down, and saw that it had stopped bleeding, and even started to heal again! Dinobot stood, stiffly, and looked as well. He shrugged. "Natural."

"For _you_, perhaps, but for humans? It's unheard of."

I chuckled, and she bandaged it.

Dinobot lay back, panting, after sitting up straight from a dream. I leaned over him, and looked at him, waiting for him to speak. This had developed into our sort of routine. I ended up sleeping lightly, since he's been around. He looked up at me, his optics begging. I embraced him, and he shuddered, hiding his face against my shoulder. I rocked back and forth slightly, as my mother used to do when I had a nightmares, and he soon quieted. What was it about this time, I asked him in a whisper.

"Death." I looked at him, and he shuddered. "Your own. Not mine. In the arena." I held him tighter, and he said, "I'm not going to ask you not to fight, because this is your life. I know better than that."

"Dinobot, please, if you're able, describe to me what my opponent looked like," I requested.

He calmed, strangely, and said, "A tall man, almost my height."

"Armor?"

"Black. Matte black, as if he were a shadow."

I nodded. "I know him. He's known to be brutal in the arena. 'Extinction' is his nick-name, but he's also a forger. I told you about him before. He makes the best armor that fighters can get in America. I'll be sporting his workmanship this year in the arena."

"You mean . . ."

I chuckled. "He knows who I am. He's always known. Were there any other marks on his armor?"

He thought, then nodded, and I set him back on the bed. "He had red gauntlets, as well as red streaks down on the sides of his armor."

I blinked. "It isn't Extinction. I don't . . . wait."

I got up, and walked over to a book that every fighter received before an official fight. It had every single other fighter that would be participating in the competition that you would also be competing in, and labeled them. There was some basic information, such as what Arena they were from, and what section. I flipped through it, finding a flashlight, and looked at each helmet, as well as armor designs. I found two that matched, but everything depended upon what style of armor that the man was wearing.

"That one," Dinobot said, when I showed him the two. I looked at the name.

"Heh. Tempest, is it? I'll watch out for him." I sighed. "Day after tomorrow, Dinobot."

He nodded, and I put the book on the floor, along with the flashlight. He shuddered, and I sighed again. He looked at me, and I smiled. "I'm going to have to rest tomorrow. The barest of work."

With another nod, he asked, "Should I appear as I truly am?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

The door opened, and Mom leaned in. "Knew you two were still awake. Dinobot, what did you mean?"

I groaned, lay back, and said, "He's got a human form, mode, whatever. He's able to change into that."

"Does he need clothes?"

I heart an embarrassed snort, and I chuckled. "Yep."

Dinobot looked at me, and I smiled. Mom chuckled. "Right. You find his sizes, Alessa, and I'll get the clothes."

I got up, dug through my bag, and handed her five twenty-dollar bills. "Use this, please, Mum. It should cover a few outfit changes."

She smiled, and nodded, and we said our good-nights. She left, and Dinobot asked, "Sizes?"

I shook my head, and settled down next to him again. He rubbed at his chest, and I took his hand away gently, then traced the scar with one finger, stopping where he had been rubbing, and felt that there was pain _beneath_ the scar. "What hurts, Dinobot?"

It took him a moment to answer, but he then said, "My Spark."

"How?"

"I don't know. But it hurts."

I sighed, and rubbed my nose against his. "I know what it is. Your body hasn't gotten completely used to the fact that you're married to a human. I feel the same thing sometimes."

He nodded hesitantly, and I rested my head on his chest. He touched my head, and played with my bangs lightly. I sighed, and said, "You're slipping."

"I know. I feel it."

"Why, Dinobot?"

He only shook his head. I reached up, and touched the side of his head, then moved, so that I was looking into his optics. "Please. I know that you know. Tell me. I'm here for you."

"You're a sap."

I laughed, and kissed his cheek. "What else would you expect from me?" He smiled, and I said, "How about you and I take a walk tomorrow morning around the gardens? You can help me decide what bulbs I'll plant in the meditation puzzle."

He nodded, and I rested my head on his chest again, breathing in his scent, and falling asleep. Tomorrow was to be another day.

I was up, knowing that I had slept in longer than usual. I looked at Dinobot, already knowing subconsciously that he was still sleeping. I got out of bed, and then walked to my closet, pulling out a comfortable outfit for today. Just as my shirt was off, I heard, "What are you doing?"

I shut my eyes tightly, and said, "Close your eyes, and let me get behind that screen. I thought you were still asleep."

"That's the second time that you've assumed that I was asleep."

"Dinobot!"

"Fine!"

I peeked over my shoulder, then grabbed everything, and scrambled over to behind the screen. Dinobot sighed, and grumbled, "But we're _married_."

"Really?" I replied sarcastically. "I _never_would have guessed! I still enjoy my privacy, Dinobot. I'm still like a young girl sometimes, about being seen. It was the way I was brought up. Besides." I looked around, to see him sitting up, looking at the screen. "I don't see _you_ walking about, without a care in the world!"

He made a face at me, and I returned it with one, then finished changing. "And just out of curiosity, is there a shadow?" He didn't answer, merely grinned somewhat evilly, and I laughed. Maybe things were going back to where they used to be, after all.

"No, slaggit!"

"Dinobot!"

"What?!"

"What was it that you wanted to see this morning, huh?! Well?!"

"You didn't step around the screen!"

"Of course not!"

"Then I'm not!"

"Well, did _I_ have to be sized for clothing?!"

There was a knock on the door, and I tossed a blanket around the screen, not looking, as Dinobot was acting like a spoiled brat. I _gave_ him a pair of shorts to wear, but he threw it back at me! So what if they were cute boxers with the Deceptacon insignia on them? I liked them!

I slid open the door, and saw Michael, also called Brute, there. "Hey. I heard that Dinobot was in a fix."

"Slagging straight!"

He chuckled, and handed me a plastic shopping bag. "Here."

I looked in, and saw clothes. Michael smiled, and I looked back up at him. I sighed. "How did you find out?"

Itosugi peeked around the frame of the door. "Your mother called me, telling me about that last night, but I figured that Dinobot was going to end up being taller than I am, since you're just my height. So I called Michael. Jett wasn't anywhere to be found. That, and I don't think telling him would be a good idea."

I nodded, and handed the bag around the screen, then tossed three imported candy bars to the three guys. "I was saving these for tomorrow, but I decided that today would be better. I've got more. They're from Ireland."

Terrence said, "So, do we come in, or what?"

I shook my head. "I'll meet you out by the fireplace. Ito-chan, can you put on some water for tea?"

He nodded, and closed the door. I tapped on the screen, and asked, "Are you done?"

"Nearly."

"Common sense helping you?"

"Barely."

I chuckled, and he came around, looking guilty. The scar on his right cheek stood out. I touched it. "It . . . it traveled over . . . Dinobot, what does this mean?"

He shook his head. "I wish I knew, Alessa. I only wish that I knew."

Night, again. I was staring at the ceiling, worrying about tomorrow. Things were going to be hard. I'd be up against people who I've never seen before, never fought against before. I didn't want to be hurt.

A hand touched my own, and I looked over to see Dinobot. He had enjoyed his human mode, but he preferred his robot self. "Stoppit. Sleep. Otherwise you _will_be hurt. And then I won't be happy."

I nodded, and said, "Yeah. You're right."

He pulled me into his arms, and I sighed, relaxing. I was asleep before I had even realized that I had closed my eyes.


	7. Chapter Seven

Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Seven

My armor was in place. Everything was going right for once. The spandex-like material that I always wore under the armor was breathing well, cooling me. Dinobot hadn't thought of a human name that he liked, but I had looked through a baby names book, and found a few that I thought would match him. He was currently looking the list over. Brute was helping me tighten a few pieces of armor, while I tried staying upright. He tugged ruthlessly.

I looked at Dinobot. He sighed. "Orrin? Sounds like Orion, and that was that Autobot Prime's juvenile name."

"So that's a no? I like the name Orion. It means warrior." I asked. I yelped, as a tug on my armor pinched, then hit Brute's shoulder, armored as mine was. "That HURT!"

He play-winced, but grinned evilly. "Sorry."

I smiled, shrugged, and he started working on another strap on my back. "Right. Next?"

"Donovan . . . what does that mean?"

"Dark warrior."

"Hm . . . Balin?"

"Powerful warrior."

He snickered. "Ooh . . . better. Powerful?"

Another voice entered the conversation, a teasingly evil tone in her voice. "Not in bed, I presume. Otherwise, she would have never said that."

I snapped over my shoulder, "Down, Hoshi! No teasing! I'm stressed!"

"'Course you are! You've been sleeping next to someone without getting the slightest bit of action!"

Dinobot sighed, already stressed enough about me being in an arena, and not under his protection. "Back to the subject on hand. What's this one . . . Toshiro? Do I look Japanese to you?"

Hoshi turned out to the hall, and beckoned for someone. Her twin, Ganko, appeared, and she rapped something out in their native language. He blinked at Dinobot, and squinted, then replied something, smiling. Hoshi replied, "To my brother and me, yes, so Toshiro sounds good. I can find other names that would suit you well, too."

He nodded. "I'll keep that option open. There's really nothing else to say upon the matter, I feel."

I sighed. "Dinobot, they'll start to ask me– Hey! Michael! Enough of the gagging noises! . . . Like I was saying, Dinobot, They'll be asking me if I'm single. Then they'll ask who I love. What am I going to say?"

He blinked, and shrugged. "A nameless warrior."

I shook my head. "You don't know the media."

"So this is a now-or-never deal?"

"Possibly."

He nodded, and looked at his palms, scarred in the fashion of my own. Michael Brute patted my shoulder, signaling that he was done adjusting my armor, and I walked over to Dinobot. I took his hands in mine, covered them with my armored ones, and asked softly, barely above a whisper, "Which one do you find closest to your heart?"

He pulled me into his arms, and I rested my head against his shoulder. With a sigh into my boyishly- short hair, he asked, "Where's that book?"

I left his arms, and dug through my bag, finding it. "I had the feeling that you'd want to look through it yourself. Here."

He opened it, and winced. "Girl's section. Bleah. Here."

"Just as a bit of help, Dinobot, you look as if you're from the Eastern half of this world," Itosugi said, walking into the room. "I'd choose something from that, or something from the European part. Your green eyes are rather odd."

He blinked at me, and I nodded. With a shrug, he started reading names out quietly. "Akira, Angus–"

"That's a type of beef cattle, so I wouldn't call myself that if I were you," I interjected.

He winced and nodded, then continued. "Aukai, Blane, Bowen, Brett, Brice, Brock, Caelan, Calhoun, Chad, Colin, Devlin . . ." He blinked. "Donovan, I guess, as well. Edan, Ewan . . . nothing here . . . or here . . . Jomei, Kado, Kaelan, Kane, Kincaid, Neil . . . nothing here . . . Rei, Sloan, Toshihiro, Toshiro . . . nothing . . . Yokio, and that's it."

I took the book from him, and asked, "So which one defines you?"

He shrugged. "Caelan, I thought at first, then Donovan, Kaelan–"

"You said that twice."

"One's with a 'C' the other with a 'K.' Sorry."

I chuckled. "It isn't your fault, Dinobot. Lesse . . . Caelan with a 'C' means 'Strong fighter,' while Kaelan with a 'K' means 'Mighty at war.' Anything else?"

"Yokio?"

"Boy who goes his own way."

"And then you have to find a decent Japanese last name," Ito-chan said, chuckling. "So what do you say to Yokio? It seems as if you were meant to be defined by it. You'll definitely will be going your own way, no matter what will be happening."

Dinobot sighed, looked at me, and we watched each other for a moment, before he smiled. "If you would choose the name, Itosugi, then I would be honored."

Ito-chan laughed. "Me? Nah. I'll leave that up to your dearest wife . . . or, wife-to-be, by human standards."

I pulled out a Japanese-English-Japanese dictionary, and started looking up a few words. I bit ly lip, and tried to piece a few together in my mind. _Hameijin . . . maybe. Uhm . . . wait. Sword of . . . of what? Of course._

"How about Kenkokoro?"

Itosugi blinked, then tried the name out, in both the Japanese way, as well as the European or American way. "Kenkokoro Yokio. Yokio Kenkokoro." He nodded. "Wise choice."

"Mind telling me what it means?"

I smiled, as the five-minute warning bell went off. We could hear the crowd's wild cheering from here, ecstatic that the tournament would be starting soon, providing them with what they had paid for. Itosugi chuckled. "Sword of the spirit, Spirit-sword . . . whichever."

He smiled, and nodded. "I like that."

"Then you'll be a Japanese boy orphaned, and raised in the United States. That would be why you have no idea how to speak a word of Japanese."

He snorted. _"Baka yarro."_

"Then again, maybe you do."

I chuckled, and Terrence and Jett walked in, each holding their helmets under their arm. I picked my own up, looking at the red streaks that laced across the face. With a smile, I looked at Hoshi and Dinobot, now known in his human mode as Yokio. He smiled, and nodded once. Itosugi had ran ahead, to be with the judges, as they would enter the ring first, to be announced before the fighters and the arenas. They left for the special box stands, which were reserved for family and friends of the fighters. I had Mom, Hoshi, Ganko, and Dinobot there. I knew that a few others that I knew would drift in and watch, so I didn't mind it.

We reached the entrance to the arena, and the others started sneering at me, since I was the only girl in the league. That is, they all did, before Extinction walked over to join us. He spun me to face him, and touched the scars, testing how well they had healed. "Hm. This one I have seen, when you came to pick up your new armor, but these four . . . from Fang, was it? That dishonorable idiot. Are you okay?"

I chuckled. "Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean that I'm weak, Extinction. You of all people should at least know that."

"I know that, Kedakai!" He sighed, releasing me. "What of your other scars? Have they reopened since they've healed?"

"Once for my chest, multiple times for my hands."

"And why would that be?"

I snickered, and replied, "Do you expect me to sit on my behind all day, when I can train?"

There were affirming noises from the other fighters around us. Hm. Most of them approve of my feelings and beliefs. Extinction shook his head. "And I heard that you have a significant other here today?"

"_Must_ be another girl," someone muttered.

Extinction picked him out of the group easily. "I would watch it if I were you, Tempest. I've heard from Kedamono, who will be judging us, that her fiancee, _Yokio_ is as formidable as she is. If he is not more ferocious _than_ her. I have also heard that he can wield a sword as artfully as Kedakai. I would know, since I have been watching her from her training days."

I blinked. That's right. We haven't been married by human standards yet. And Ito-chan saw Dinobot getting back into shape again? So how could he have told . . . ? Oh, of course. He had run past here before the rest of us had a chance to. With a shake of my head, I added, "And defeating you shall be quite easy, if you play nicely."

"Ever wonder why I'm called Tempest, girlie?"

I grinned at him. "Ever wonder about your manhood? Rather, your _nonexistent_ manhood? I could clarify that simple issue, Tempest. Since you're acting so witchy, then I'd have to say that you're plainly suffering through PMS."

Talon, Brute, and Fear snickered, as well as most of the other fighters. We were then announced, saving us from further conflict from behind the arena doors. "From the WeyQuinTree Arena, Brute, Fear, Talon, and Kedakai!"

We walked out, our heads held high, our helmets under our arms, and the crowd cheered wildly. We took our places beneath our banner, with the symbols of a tree, representing Braintree, sheltering two granite statues. One was of John Adams, the second President of the United States, as well as John Quincy Adams, John Adam's son, the fourth President of the United States. They represented Quincy. On the other side of the tree, was the picture of a genetically-engineered cat, that a small genetics company, that was once occupied with fertility drugs, came up with. The cat was named Sero, and it was three feet tall, and spotted. It was named after the company's name, Serono. That represented Weymouth.

Others were announced, and soon, the whole arena was filled with fighters from around the region. New England wasn't really that large, but when it came down to it, we had a large amount of people, with quite the warrior's spirit. Extinction's arena was next to us. He was from the North PlainFoxBoro Arena. That was the arena from four towns, instead of three: Attleboro, North Attleboro, Foxboro, and Plainville. He smiled once at me, and from above the banner, I heard, "If you get yourself, killed, Alessa, I'll never forgive you, I hope you know!"

Extinction and I both looked up, and Dinobot/Yokio scowled back down at us. I smiled. "Oh, stop your worrying, Yokio. You know that I'll come out fine."

"Alessa . . ."

Extinction chuckled. "Don't you start worrying, Yokio. If anyone threatens to harm my student, then they'll have to deal with me."

My three companions looked at me. "You were trained by the World Champion?!"

I sighed. "I'll tell you after. Extinction, after the tournament, if you and your team are free, you're all invited to come for dinner at the Pavilion."

"Good! Just as long as you aren't cooking, Kedakai!"

"Hey!"

"Fighters, to your rooms!"

We saluted the judges, but I stayed out, after everyone else went in. I was the first up, against one named "Inu-Yasha." I had the feeling that he liked either the old anime or the even-older manga, both called Inu-Yasha, that told the story of a dog-demon. I thought that it was cute.

We donned our helmets, and I said, "So any last words, Demon-Boy?"

He chuckled. "If I've heard correctly about you, Kedakai, then I should be saying, 'May the _Kami_ protect my passing!' On with it?"

"_Hai._Bring it on."

The announcing horn blew, and we immediately dropped into fighting stances, watching everything about the other fighter. He attacked, but not before I recognized his style. He executed a _fantastic_leap, and I threw myself into a forward roll on my left shoulder. Blocking a blow from him wouldn't be the greatest idea, this early in the fight.

I dug my feet into the ground, and then made a charge, ramming him up against the arena fence, my sword-tip at his throat.

The horn blew again, signifying my win, and Inu-Yasha's loss. I released him, pulling my helmet free, and smiling at him. "You know, if I hadn't known that you were going to leap, then you would have had me. Great job, though, Demon-Boy. Friends?"

He shook my outstretched hand, as we walked out of the arena, clearing it for the next fighters. It was someone named Dare, pitted against Tempest. I watched his every move, and made sure that I memorized his style. I'd need it. Extinction walked up to me, and tapped my shoulder. "You painted it well, Kedakai."

I sighed, and smiled. "You were the forger. I have nothing else to do with it."

"They're reminders to who you are, your character. You're not going to be forgotten easily, once- apprentice."

He patted my shoulder, and Tempest walked in, with Dare walking sluggishly behind him. The taller one sneered at me, and I touched Dare's arm, as he passed. His eyes were dull, and I smiled. "Don't let that bully say that you did horrible. You should know that I was watching. You did really well."

"Yeah, bull."

"She doesn't say that easily or to many people," Fear said, walking over, smirking. "She hasn't yet said that once to either myself or Brute. On the other hand, 'Kai, I'm wondering what you've been saying to Talon lately. He's not been his normal self."

Dare left, starting to brighten. I turned to look at Fear. "What do you mean?"

"He's been a bit lower than usual. You know, sad, I guess."

I sighed, and replied, "He would want me for himself, if I wasn't already promised in marriage. I think that I broke his heart, without knowing that I had been doing just that. He's like a brother to me, Fear, and I would only want his friendship."

"But if you weren't gonna get married . . ."

I smiled. "Then I would probably be in his arms, instead of Yokio's."

The short fighter chuckled. "And I can tell that the two of you love each other deeply, eh?"

I smiled, and nodded. Extinction walked back in from the ring, laughing and joking with his opponent. He always made a point to reassure the other fighter whom he had defeated. It was something that he taught me, and that I've even started to carry on, since I was now talking around the arena.

About an hour later, round two began. Extinction was out in the arena, about to fight Brute. Both Brute and Fear had gotten this far. Talon, as well. Brute smiled, before he went out, and said, "Well, here I go to get my butt beaten. I'll be back . . . in a few pieces."

A few moments later, he returned, laughing with Extinction. I smiled, and my once-teacher, now- mentor, said, "You're up, 'Kai. The crowd's wailing for you."

"Howling, you mean," I said.

"Nope. You're not a wolf anymore. You're a Velociraptor."

I held up my shield, and he saw both the wolf and the 'Raptor that I had painted on there, posing as if ready to attack in unison an opponent, and not each other.. He chuckled, and I went out, to face one named Swoop. I walked up to him, helmet off, and asked, "What is it with guys and taking on the alias of a cartoon character?"

"You're a Transformers fan?" he asked, looking down at me. Did I mention that he's about six feet, ten inches tall?

"Grew up with Beast Wars, then Beast Machines. How about that?"

"Total oldies!"

"Hey, whatever works. Talk later?"

"You're on."

We donned our helmets, and crossed swords, tapping them once against each other, before attacking. He tripped, as I had hit him lower than his center of gravity, but he had pulled me down, so that we went rolling. I quickly kicked out of it, then blocked a nasty slash with my shield, before locking swords with him. He had the upper hand, here, but not for long. Easily, I maneuvered my long shield between his knees, then twisted and pushed, sending him to his back, looking up at me along the length of my blade. The horn sounded, I let him up, and he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "That was quick."

"One called 'Tempest' will want my full attention. I plan on giving it to him."

"So who's your favorite Beast Warrior?" he asked, just as we were passing under the WeyQuinTree Arena banner.

Yokio reached down, and touched my outstretched hand, smiling. I replied, "Dinobot. Without a doubt."

"Yeah, you fight like him. Brutal, quick, to the point . . . and amazingly stubborn." He grinned.

Yokio snorted, and I chuckled, then walked back into the rooms that we waited in. Tempest was coming out, and a camera was following both me and Swoop from the arena to here. Swoop patted my shoulder, and walked into a side room, to get out of his armor. Tempest came up to me. "How old are you, anyway?"

"Eighteen."

"Hmph. Small for even a girl. What says that you're small in other areas?"

I glared at him. "At least if I actually _cared_ about my size, I could do something about it. You, on the other hand, have no hope left."

I brushed by him, and a group of snickering fighters parted to let me through, then closed again. Tempest wasn't _that_ stupid, and even _he_wouldn't try to get past a group of fighters that were still in the competition. Then _he_would be out.

With a sigh, I itched right under the metal collar that I wore, and sighed. Fear came over, and said, "I won my last match, and if Tempest wins this next one, I'm toast."

I smiled, and replied, "Yeah, and since I won _this_ one, that means if _you're_defeated, _I'm_up against that bully in the finals."

He grinned, and The horn blew to start. Three seconds later (believe me, I was looking at a clock), and the horn blew again. Tempest was announced the winner. I rubbed at my eyes, and the other fighters entered the room, gathering around me. I looked up at one, who was named Savage. He was another friend of mine, from school, and had always wondered what I had been doing after the school day was over, since we had also lived next door to each other. He was in Extinction's Arena, now that he had moved, but we always tried to keep in touch.

He leaned against the wall next to me."He's not happy for making a fool of him in front of the world. Crap. Another camera."

I snorted. "Well, he started it, by trying to make a fool out of _me_. Serves the bugger right."

"Are you insane?"

"Possibly."

He smirked, and Another pair were called out. Extinction walked over to me, and tapped my shoulder, discreetly motioning that I look to my left. I did, out of the corner of my eye, and saw that Tempest was glaring at me. I made a point of ignoring him.

I could tell that this was going to be a longer day than I had thought.


	8. Chapter Eight

Learning to walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Eight

I was sipping water, when the bell went off for the next pair of fighters to enter. I grabbed my gear, and headed out. This wasn't the first time that I had been rushed.

Ten minutes later, we returned, and I sat by Extinction, who was piecing together a rip in his chain-mail. I started at the other end, and helped him. I was the only one left in my arena, still in the individual fights. Talon had been defeated by Factor, Brute by Savage, and Fear by Tempest. They were sill here, though, repairing armor, instead of showering and sitting in the stands. Most fighters sat in the stands, to watch their opponents, as well as those who were in their arena, if there were any left still in the competition. I don't know why they were still down here.

I slugged down some more water, as well as an Extra-Strength Tylenol. My hands were throbbing, and I had almost dropped my sword once, which had alerted me that my grip was starting to weaken.

Then, next week's finalists were announced, as that was the final fights for Regional Champion. In that same day, we'd all be fighting by home arena, as teams. _That_ promised to be fun.

"The last six finalists are as follows: From North PlainFoxBoro Arena, Extinction! He shall be fighting Factor, from the Berkshire Arena. Also from the Berkshire Arena, is Tempest!" The crowds roared, and I sighed, as he walked out. "Fighting Tempest, shall be the formidable Savage, from the Cape Islands Arena! Then, from the North Shore Arena, we have Demise, who shall be facing, last but _certainly_ not least, our very own femme fatale from the WeyQuinTree Arena, Kedakai!"

I walked out, and the crowds yelled even _more_ wildly than they had for Tempest.

I daresay, he didn't like that.

We each stood under our banners, and those arenas who weren't in the finals, were covered with a black cloth. Extinction looked down at me proudly, and I heard the announcer say, "Well, it looks like _those_ two know each other well! Extinction is looking at Kedakai as if she were his own daughter!"

Mom was laughing. I looked at Extinction, and called over, "He is!"

The announcer dropped his mike, and the crowd laughed, then cheered, as he picked it up, and said, "Then I guess the fighting spirit runs in the bloodline! And for Tempest, what do you have to say about dealing with the possibility that you could fight both father and daughter in one day, next week?"

"I'd have to say that I'll bury them. What does it matter?"

"Extinction is the best in the league, as well as the four-time Regional Champion, and three-time National Champion. _Not to mention that he's twice-over the World Champion!_ What a rep for Kedakai to live up to!"

I called over, "I make my own path!"

Factor called over, "Yeah, to your grave!"

"In sixty years, perhaps!"

"How about in less than sixty _seconds_?" Factor called.

Savage called over, "Keep your mouth shut, Factor! Extinction's gonna tan _your_ hide if you keep it up!"

"Wanna bet, baby boy?"

The mikes cut out on the two Hawaiians, but you could still hear them bickering. Savage and Factor were brothers, who went to live with different parents, after a divorce. They were twins, no doubt, and acted like it. Unfortunately for some, they were identical. All the girls got them constantly mixed up. They didn't notice the small scar crossing Savage's left eyebrow. Factor had a small scar upon the top of his left wrist.

Yokio called down, "Hey, when can we go home?"

"In a little while."

"Okay."

"And _there's_Kedakai's husband-to-be, sitting with her mother and her best friends, Hoshi and Ganko! You can tell that she doesn't care what's on the outside, but if he was a single fighter, heh. Inferno, you'd have to watch out!"

"Not that idiot from the Wars," I said up to Dinobot/Yokio, "but a snobbish boy who thinks that he's God's gift to all women. Luckily, he's from the Los Angeles area, where snobs run rampant, and not from the east coast, so you won't have to deal with hearing about him constantly."

"But isn't he the cutest thing you've ever seen?" Hoshi asked, her voice dreamy.

I sighed, and shook my head. "You're hopeless, Hoshi."

"Aah . . . sweet looks, sweet temper . . . beautiful . . ."

I laughed, and we all filed into the waiting room. Tempest glared at me, and I watched him calmly, until he walked over. "You know, if you weren't a fighter, then I could come to like you, Kedakai."

He reached for his sword, and glared behind me. I spun quickly, saw Yokio, and drew my sword, crossing it with Tempest's, blocking the potential swipe, all the while keeping my calm gaze. "My fiancé. Yokio Kenkokoro."

He drew his sword away, and snarled, "So you go for someone like him, who has never entered an arena?"

Yokio/Dinobot drew up to his full height, and growled in reply, "I have. And the fighters _here_, look like kittens at play, when compared to my home arena. Yourself included."

Tempest said, "So what if we fight for her, eh? Would you do that?"

Two beefed-up guards came in, and stood on either side of Tempest. "Sir, your arena rooms are on the other side of the stadium."

He looked at them innocently. "I was only having a simple conversation with the Kedakai."

They indicated a camera, and Tempest snorted, then allowed himself to be led away. Yokio took my hand, and brought me to the rooms. Once the door was closed, he became the tall Cybertronian I had met him as. I sat on a stool, unlatching my armor, and letting it fall to the floor. I was exhausted, and I'd pick it up later. Dinobot helped me with my shoulders, and let them fall as well.

Finally, I was in just the chain-mail, when my father entered. He smiled, and said, "What about dinner?" I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, he was smiling. "You have a van?"

I shook my head. "Popped a tire entering the parking lot."

"We'll drive you home. Would you mind if my fighters crashed at the Pavilion tonight?"

I shook my head again, and Dinobot touched my shoulder, keeping me sitting up straight. "I'll get her out there, sir."

I heard my father's chuckle. "Ah . . . don't 'sir' me, Dinobot. I'm not _that_ old. And don't look at me as if you're surprised that I know that name. After all, Alessa's mother _is_ my wife." He looked back at me, and said, "I'll be back here in a half-hour. Make sure that you two are ready to get moving by then, okay?"

"We will." The door closed, and I felt Dinobot wrap his arms around me. "Where are those leather straps that keep this scrap-metal on?"

I started to reach under my gauntlets, to untie them, but my hand was pulled away, and other fingers gently did that for me. I sighed. "You don't have to do this for me."

"And how many times have I said that to you in the past week?"

I leaned against him a bit more, and he pulled the glove off, then started on the other one. Once they were on the floor with everything else, he was human again. Yokio grabbed some ointment, and rubbed it onto my scars. I reached for the leather pieces that hold the chain-mail pants up, and in place. Yokio reached to help, but I batted his hands away playfully. "My job."

He chuckled, and I wriggled a little, trying to get the pants off, when Yokio wrapped my arm over his shoulders, and helped me stand. My limbs were trembling by now, and I could barely keep my balance, even while holding onto my husband. I pushed the chain-mail off, and he brought me over to the couch, and pulled my chain-mail hauberk off carefully. He put it on the stool, and then pulled a blanket over me, and tucked it around me. I looked up at him, and he smiled. "I know how to load up the rack. Sleep until I help you up."

I went out immediately, and didn't even remember him helping me pull some loose clothing over the black fighting suit I already had on, and re-wrapped the blanket around me. I didn't wake up at all on the way home. Even when once we were home, and in bed, when Dinobot changed over to his beast mode, and curled up around me, I didn't remember it. He told me everything later.


	9. Chapter Nine

Learning to walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Nine

I awoke, and it was broad daylight. Dinobot was across the room, with that pencil and pad of paper again, erasing something. I never thought that he would have taken to sketching. He looked up, pencil ready again, and smiled, when he saw I was awake. He closed the pad, which was quickly laid upon the _tatami_, or rice mats, with the pencil on top of it. He walked over to me, and sat, pulling my head up onto his lap. I smiled.

He played with my bangs again. "You had three nightmares last night, and five rather odd, but nonetheless safe, dreams."

I chuckled. "Yeah. I don't remember waking up, though."

"You did, but you fell asleep again." I sighed, and he said, "You'll do fine. Come, then, someone's been waiting all morning to talk to you."

"Who?"

"You'll see. Come on, then. Get dressed."

I glared at him, as I sat up, and groaned at the sudden aches. "Gah . . . that didn't feel all that great."

He chuckled, and replied, "You basically tortured yourself yesterday." He kissed my forehead, and I smiled. He tugged on my bangs, and I stood carefully, then walked over to my closet. I located a few warm-but-loose items, and walked behind the screen, sitting while I changed into them. Dinobot called over, "And your mother said that the water's hot, if you wanted cider or tea."

"Are you going to try some this time?"

There was in indecisive growl, and then I heard, "Why not."

I chuckled, and walked around the screen, holding my dirty clothes in my arms, then dumped them on the bed, and followed Dinobot out.

"You're needing a new sword, daughter mine."

I nodded, smiling, as I handed my father his tea. "Yeah, but remember? No more free swords. You said it on your own."

"You're one of the Regional finalists, Alessa. I simply cannot allow you to enter the arena with an old sword."

Yokio walked into the room, with a young man beside him. I smiled, stood, and shook hands with him. "Savage! Wonderful to see you here!"

He blushed, and said, "Business with Extinction, ma'am."

I shook my head. "I'm only eighteen, now, Savage. Please just call me by my name."

Savage blinked at me. "We're not allowed to address each other by our birth names, while in the times of a Regional Tournament."

"Well, obviously. I know the rules. Had to search them, so that I could get away with not talking." I chuckled. "Call me Kedakai."

"Alessa?"

I sighed. "Coming, Yokio!"

He had apparently left the room. "Just tell me how you operate this thing!"

"Savage, please wait here." I walked into the kitchen, and looked at my husband. He had a pleading look upon his face. I wrapped my arms around his chest, and said, "We have business, love."

"Spare me. You have to practice, and the fee you've earned while battling can pay for your sword. Don't ask me how I know, because I've been in your files."

"Got bored, didn't you."

He nodded, guilty.

I chuckled, plugged in the coffee pot, and patted his cheek. "That's how you turn on a coffee pot, Yokio. You have to plug it in, first."

I heard laughter and guffaws from the other room, and I walked back out. "Enough, both of you. Dad, I'll pay you for the sword, and you already have my measurements, and know what kind of style I prefer. But I think that you have to show Savage around, correct?"

He sighed, and gave me a wry look. "You're trying to get rid of me, aren't you."

"Well, Yokio and I have to practice."

"Practice what, m'dear?"

I glared at him, and he left the room, laughing. "I'll call you tonight, and we'll get started then! Later, Ales!"

I waited, until I saw my father's van leave, with another following it. Yokio returned to his true form, and Dinobot rested his arm around my shoulders. I sighed, and we walked into the back gardens. I sat on the bench, while Dinobot stretched. A moment later, he had sat next to me, looking over a dagger he had taken to from my armory. I gave it to him, knowing that it would be missed. All the better. It was a good dagger, but ornamental . . . so what better use to put it to, than to give it to a loved one?

He was looking across at the wooden staffs, that were hanging on a wall. _Perhaps a duel?_

I grinned, and looked back at the square, after leaning even closer to him. _If you insist._

A moment later, we jumped apart, and looked at each other in shock. I blinked a few times, then asked, "Tell me, just tell me, if you heard anything, physically."

He shook his head, and frowned more deeply than usual. "But, I think, I _believe_, that is, that I heard something . . . _here_."

His hand was resting upon his chest. I reached out, and slipped my hand beneath his, so that it was resting upon the scar lacing across his chest. I pressed my palm against it, and sighed, letting him wrap his arms around me. _This is too weird, Dinobot._

He snorted. _No slag. We'd better get inside._

_I wonder if we can do more than this?_

_You like these new abilities, don't you?_

I chuckled, took his hand, and walked back to the Pavilion with him. _Yep._

Later that day, we entered the forges, and Dad tossed me leather aprons and gloves. "Teach him on the go, Ales! We have quite a few orders to get done!"

"From who?!" I yelled over the sound of the fans, which vented the smoke out through the ceiling.

"Everyone!"

"Great."

Yokio took the larger apron, and gloves, them put them on. I grabbed a slip of paper, then showed Yokio what everything meant, before starting. This was Savage's sword that I was going to be working upon. I grabbed a piece of pre-folded metal ten inches wide and four feet long, and put a clamp upon one end, before thrusting it into the fire. Yokio watched every one of my moves, noting how he should manipulate his movements when it was his turn to do so. Once the metal was red-hot, I pulled it back out, and started to pound the sides, causing them to slant downwards, from the center. I put it back into the fire, to re-heat, then pulled it out again.

It took me two hours, until the blade was done, and the edges smooth. I sighed, and lowered it into cold water, then rubbed at my forehead with the back of my left glove. Dad came over, and placed another sword into a second bin. "You look bushed."

I smiled, and Yokio pulled the sword I was working upon out of the water. "How long would this normally take?"

"Three, three-and-a-half hours, maybe?" He looked at me, then up at the clock. "And she did it in two, correct?"

"Mm-hm."

I smiled, and said, "There aren't any stress-points, Da. I made sure of that."

"Good. Yokio, let me see the other side, please . . . nicely done!" Dad said. I smiled, and the sword was placed back in the water. He turned back to me, and patted my shoulder. "I'm working upon your sword now, so you can go home."

I nodded. "Thanks. I'll be back in tomorrow, to finish Savage's sword."

"You have to create the hilt to the _exact_specifications that are on there. Where you have the flat of the sword, he likes a flat length."

I smiled. "For grip."

"Correct."

I smiled, and he patted my shoulder. "Get back in shape. I'll see you tomorrow."

Yokio nodded to my father, and led me out of the forge, and into the lean-to that was built on the side. We hung up the aprons and gloves there, and then walked out, and started to walk home. His hand clasped around mine, and I smiled, then looked up at the sky.

Sometimes, it only took a small time, for things to be all right again.


	10. Chapter Ten

Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Ten

Tempest and Savage circled each other. I sat next to my father, while the other fighters were pacing. There was no time limit for these finals, and this fight had been going on for over ten minutes. Savage slashed out experimentally, but Tempest wasn't taking any preliminaries. He blocked it, and thrust at the smaller man, who parried it, gaining points as he hit Tempest's shoulder.

I sighed, as they continued to circle and jab at each other, not really serious. "Da, Tempest isn't even trying."

"Neither is Savage."

"Shouldn't they get down to business?"

"Not in finals. You've never gotten this far, so you don't know. You have to be careful, and not waste one move. Therefore, you move more slow, with more deliberation. You move as if there were something more than just the win riding upon your shoulders." He ruffled my hair gently, and smiled. "You'll see, once you enter the ring, that you're not just fighting to win; you're fighting to save your life."

I looked back at the screen, and then sighed. But before I could ask my father any more questions, Tempest and Savage flew at each other in a flurry of movements, lightning-fast. I kept up, watching Tempest more than Savage. He would win. There was something about the way Savage reacted to him, that made known the fact that the taller man would win.

With a yell, Tempest swung his sword in an odd fashion, and hit the sword I had forged broadside.

Both swords shattered.

I winced. "Uh-oh."

The crowd was silent.

Extinction roared with laughter, slapping my back enthusiastically. Factor looked at me, as I had started to grin. "Didn't expect that, didya, Tempest?"

"What's the matter with you two?" Factor asked. "Savage just got that sword forged the day before yesterday! And it's broken!"

I grinned at him. "Yes, but so is Tempest's!"

"And you're so happy _why_? He'll have to get it replaced!"

I sat back. "And I'll replace it free of charge. It certainly stood up to the test, Da."

Factor walked in front of me, and I moved slightly, so that I could see the screen. He leaned closer. "You forged that?"

I nodded. "Tempest had his forged in England by a famous blacksmith there. I'm sure that the man over there will come over, wondering why a sword of _theirs_ broke in battle against a sword of a Yankie's."

The two had resorted to fighting with daggers, and I looked at the dagger that Savage wielded. And winced. Dad noticed the same thing. "I'm not sure that he's liking his choice of daggers."

Someone leaned upon my shoulders, and I looked up to see Brute there. Fear and Talon stood behind him. I sighed. "Guys . . ."

"Can you forge us some blades before tomorrow's team death-match?" Brute asked playfully.

I swiped at him, and said, "I thought you knew that I already had! And each according to your style of fighting."

He looked at me in complete shock. "Really?"

I nodded, and looked back at the screen. Tempest had managed to cause Savage to stumble, and fall hard on his left shoulder. I sighed, as the winner was announced. Tempest walked out, not even moving to help Savage up, who was clearly in pain. I could see why. His armor had bent in such a way, that it was pinching his shoulder. Factor started to run out, and I ran out with him. Even though the two were identical twins, Savage was noticeably larger in muscle, and heavier in build. As Factor struggled to help his brother up, I tapped his shoulder, and then helped him lower Savage to a sitting position. "Teamwork, this time, Factor. Ready?"

He nodded, gripping his brother's armor fiercely. "Yeah."

"One . . . two . . . up!"

We pulled him up off of the ground, and each of us draped one of his arms over our shoulders. The crowd cheered, as he came up off of the ground. As we waited for an attendant to open the gate, I carefully reached up, and pulled his helmet off, allowing him to breathe. He gasped for air, and looked at me. "Kedakai . . ."

I smiled. "I'm glad that the sword served you well. The shards will be brought back to you, so you can keep them in honor of the purpose it satisfied. I can tell metal from my father's forge from that of other forges. We fire the metal differently."

He smiled in return, and Factor looked at me. "As soon as this season is over, I'm coming to you for my next sword. I already go to Extinction for my armor, so . . ."

I smiled to the brothers, and the door opened. "Me and my fighters can take him to his rooms, Factor. You have to get ready for your fight with my father."

He nodded, and Brute walked over, taking his place. I looked up, and saw Fear open the next door. Talon . . . Jett . . . he was with some brunette, who was all the curves a male could want. She glared at me, and I shook my head, looking back up at the other one helping me with Savage. "Brute, you're an angel, pal."

He snorted, chuckling. "I most certainly would hope not. Hey, hand that helmet to Talon. He's doing nothing, except taking up space with that new _item_ he has."

The girl shot a glare to Brute. So. They didn't approve, either. I held the helmet out, and Talon nearly ran to take it out of my hands. He walked next to me, as we walked through the halls, to Savage's rooms. There, at the door, was Yokio. He smiled at me, and opened the door. Fear looked up at him. "Hey! That was _my_job!"

Yokio looked at him blankly, and said, "Get over it."

Fear grinned, and looked at me. "Kai, can you make him join the ranks? He'd fit in perfectly."

I laughed, and we entered the room. Savage's family smiled and talked with us, as we sat him upon a stool and the guys started to disarmor him. I walked around a screen with the other females in the room, and one of his relatives handed me his bag. I then held it out, around the side, not looking. The brunette glared at me. "Just who do you think you are, huh?! How dare you tell Talon what to do!"

I looked at her in surprise, just as Yokio leaned around, took the bag, and kissed my cheek. I looked back at him, as he left, laughing at the look on my face. I covered my eyes, and leaned around the screen, "You'll pay for that, Yokio Kenkokoro!" I turned back around to face the girl. "What do you mean?"

Talon leaned around the screen, and glared at the girl. "I don't want to hear you talk to Kedakai in such a fashion, Cora. Do you hear me?"

"But . . . but, Jett . . ."

He sighed, and took her aside to a corner. I glared at her, and the signal for the start of the next fight sounded. I looked at the large screen that had been set up in every room. Savage reached out and touched my arm, saying, "Thank you."

I looked at him. "Hm? For what?"

He smiled, and chuckled. "Helping my brother bring me out of the ring."

I grinned, and rubbed his hair. "You're more than welcome, Savage. It's a honor, really, since you're the first one who has broken one of my swords."

He smiled, and Yokio wrapped his arms around my waist. _Just as a reminder of who you belong to._

I looked up at him, and replied, _"Belong to"? Dinobot, what ideas are you getting in that head of yours?_

He blinked, and I looked at the screen, as my father stood still, facing Factor. The younger fighter was pacing restlessly. I sighed. "He's going to wear himself out."

Yokio whispered within the connection between us, _I love you, Alessa, and they are starting to look at you differently._

_I've been a "guy" as long as they've known me, Dinobot. Except for Brute._

_He's acted as if you were his younger sibling._I felt him shift his gaze around. _Yet . . . Talon looks at you hungrily . . . like a hunter._

Factor rushed at my father, only to be batted aside easily. I sighed, as Dad started to really start testing Factor's defenses. Yokio pulled me closer to him, resting his right cheek against my left. His scar rested against mine, and I replied, _He doesn't like that I'm being married, and that it was arranged without my consultation._

_He doesn't know that it was only by me giving you a part of my Spark, and taking upon the most fragile part of your soul, that you're still living. He doesn't know that your destiny . . ._

_Rested with you, and not with him,_I finished, looking at him from the corner of my eye. I sighed, as Factor executed a neat flip, only to be kicked aside easily by my father. _Still, I guess that in some universe, somewhere, him and I could have ended up together. Some universe that you never existed in._

_Do you love him?_

I looked fully at Yokio, who looked at me in return, his green eyes wary. I kissed his chin, and felt the tension in the air rise. Jett was watching me. _Only as you would love a friend._

Hoshi ran in, and said, "Hey, lovebirds! C'mon, there's food!"

I looked at Savage, who blinked at the mention of nourishment. He looked at Hoshi, who was blushing at the fact that he was still shirtless. It didn't help either, that Savage was just about as built as any guy can really get, without looking like a gross body-builder. "And, uh . . . you can bring _him_ . . . with you, too, you know . . ."

I laughed. "Looks like you're a part of the gang, Savage!"

The fighter grinned, and said, "Sounds good to me."

After my father won, there was an hour intermission, where the reporters went up to various fighters, and the public was able to get autographs of their favorite fighters. I was _swamped_ with people trying to talk to me. Yokio was nearly insane with anger, at all the leers I was receiving. I had made him promise to not leave my side, and to stay next to me. He was grumbling about it, as usual. _On Cybertron, males were never this . . . this crass! The worst that they got was Rattrap's sense of females, and that's bad enough. For slagging–_

I handed back a photo, with a smile. "Good luck with your training." Another handed a photo to me, asking me to sign it for a girl, who was about ten. This was a new one done of me, with my helmet off, and the five scars upon my face showing.

_–crying out loud! I'm even seeing **females** look at you like . . . like **that**._He shuddered, but continued on with his tirade. _Can't I please go after one of them? It'll teach everyone else to stay away. That, and that you're not on the slagging market anymore! Why can't they see that?!_

_No, Dinobot, you can't go after them._ I replied silently, then saw my father waving over the crowds.

They parted to let him through, and he embraced me, and ruffled my hair. "Kai, you're really making a scene, you know. Tempest isn't getting all this attention."

I grinned. "He's a rich city kid, Da. He's used to everyone going out of their way to talk to him, and to pay _him_the ultimate respect, since he's of a 'higher authority.' I'm not going to play into that."

"There still is a chance that you will fight him. Then again, you could fight me, too."

I nodded, and replied, "I know."

The bell rang, for the five-minute warning, and I looked at the line of people who were still wanting an autograph. And I sighed. "Da, go get ready. I'll finish this line off, since I'm not in for another while."

He nodded, and I looked to Yokio. "Close the line off."

"Can I scare people away, if they try to enter?"

"Depends."

"Fine."

I made a face at him, and he walked off huffily. The people closest to us laughed, and I smiled. "Alright, who's next?"

We were by the arena door, watching my father fight. Mom was beside us, and worried about him, as usual. She always did this. I had my hand on her shoulder, as she was shorter than I was, and Yokio had my other hand held within his. Dad pulled off a rollover to a side, his armor moving easily around him, and he stood, sword at the ready, shield already worth scrap metal. He had tossed it off in the roll. I smiled. "Not one move wasted."

"Your father's going to get himself killed, Alessa."

I sighed, and asked, "Has he ever been up against this one before?"

"No. Tempest transferred in from England, as you can tell by his accent, when another fighter went over there. It was an exchange program."

I sighed. "Warlord."

"Yes. You remember?"

"Mm-hm. He and Da were battle-partners when I was younger, and just starting to train. He was a cool guy. Remember when he taught me that leap-kick?" She was silent for a moment, and I looked at her, breaking my gaze away from the fighters. "Mom? What is it? Are you okay?"

She looked at me, and then down, at . . .

I released Yokio's hand, and stood in front of my mother. "Are . . . are you serious?"

Mom smiled shyly up at me, and I embraced her carefully, then looked back at the fighters. "Does Dad know?"

"Not yet."

"Are you sure about this? It's not some mistake?"

"The bloodwork came back this morning."

Yokio looked between us. "Please don't mind my asking, but what are you talking about? Did I miss something important?"

I looked at him, then at Mom. "Can I tell?"

"Yes," she replied, blushing.

I looked at Yokio, and said quietly, "I'm finally going to be a sister."

He sat, and I chuckled, sitting upon a stool next to him. Dad and Tempest really started to go at it. Mom was gripping the doorframe so hard that her knuckles were turning white. Brute came up behind her, and took her hand down gently. "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but you shouldn't do that. You could break your own hand."

She looked up at Brute, then back at the fight. The older fighter looked at me, and I shook my head. He nodded, and I looked back at the fight. Dad kicked upwards, catching Tempest's chin, and sending him flying back. Extinction's style was one that incorporated both blatant swordfighting, and the acrobatic traits of a martial artist. His armor, as well as mine, was specifically designed to serve that purpose. Free movement was essential.

I kept my hands loose, not balled, and calmed my breathing, as I watched the fight.

Without even a warning, Tempest ran at my father, and pulled off some odd move, that twisted my father's leg in an odd way, sending him to the ground. The bell rang, when Dad couldn't stand up. Tempest pulled his helmet off, and spat on the ground next to my father. I ran at the chain-link, and gripped onto it, watching the fighter leave without a look backwards. Only a few ragged, weak cheers followed him out. An attendant opened the door to the arena, and I ran in, knowing that Yokio, my mother, and a few others ran in with me. I rolled my father over, and pulled his helmet off. He was breathing heavily. "Watch out for that one, Kai. It's a killer move."

As two larger fighters pulled him up, I asked, "Can you describe it to me?"

He blinked, and told me in the coding that he used, when training me. Only he, myself, my mother, and Warlord knew of it. Dad didn't want the attendants to know what I should look out for. "L2 forward; R1 false; L1 grab OR1; R2 hook OL2; B turn; result: OL2 dislo."

I stopped, then caught up. "'Dislo?' Da, are you kidding me?"

Brute looked at me. "You understood that?"

I ignored him, as my father shook his head. "It hurts like a bugger, Alessa. Watch out for it."

"Any leading moves?" I asked, as I opened the door.

"R1 swipe at H."

I nodded. "So O ducks, putting OR1 in perfect place for L1 . . ."

"Yes."

I nodded. Brute looked to my mom, who was helping them disarmor my father. She looked meaningfully at some of the attendants, who left the room for a medic. Before I could ask anything more, she had leaned closer to Dad, and whispered something to him. I smiled, and pulled Brute and Yokio out of the room. "C'mon, guys. Let them be."

Jett and the brunette were outside the door. As soon as the door was closed, the fighter walked up to me, put his hands on my shoulders, and asked, "Is he okay?"

Yokio, in a swift move, moved Jett's hands from my shoulders, and stood between the two of us, one hand keeping me behind him. Brute sighed. "Right. Forgot about that issue. Look, Jett, we have a problem. Or rather, they do."

"Oh?" he snapped. "And what would that problem be?"

I could feel Dinobot's want to change into his beast mode, and go after Jett. I grabbed his hand, and he suppressed the feeling immediately. He knew I wouldn't appreciate it. However, he replied in a growl, "Your intentions towards my wife . . . to be."

_No slipping!_I hissed silently. _He doesn't suspect anything yet, and hasn't made the connection between you and your other modes. He thinks of you as the 'Raptor at the Pavilion!_

He nodded, although it was more like a twitch.

Jett snorted. "Alessa is free to make her own decisions, and she can declare the marriage null." He looked at me. "You never let people tell you what to do before."

I sighed, and chose my next words to him carefully. "Jett, I have no choice in this, nor would I want a choice in it. Yokio saved my life, and I've saved his. After Yokio had saved my life, not even knowing it on my behalf, my mother arranged with Yokio's caretakers for us to be married."

"Really. And when did he save your life?"

I glared at him. "When I was attacked, and given these scars on my hands, my chest, and this one on my cheek. He was the only one who was able to help me."

The bell rang for another intermission. They had been making announcements about future events and exhibitions. Jett's glare was piercing. Medics ran up, and looked at me. "Kedakai?"

I looked at them, masking my irritation on how Jett was acting. "Yes?"

"Where is your father?"

I indicated the door behind me, and they entered quietly, and closed it behind them. We regarded each other with silence, and I heard a popping noise from behind me, soon followed by a grunt of pain. I shuddered, grinned, and called through the door, "Didja feel _that_ one, old man?"

"I most certainly did!" my father's voice replied in a full-throated roar.

It was an old line between us, from my training days. If I fell awkwardly and landed in pain, he would ask, "Did you feel _that_ one, young rip?"

I'd answer, "Feel what?" unless it was something serious. And later on, when I was able to pull moves upon him that would send him crashing to the ground, I'd ask him, "Did you feel _that_ one, old man?"

It was something that we laughed about, and something to begin a banter to get our minds off of the pain. I called back in, "Well? How else should you feel, if your leg was almost ripped off?"

"You never tried something like that!"

"'Course not! If I failed the move, then you would have maimed me!"

"As if I should have any reason not to?"

I grinned. "Hah! I could out-run you any day!"

"Not then! _Now_ you can!"

"Hmm . . . good point."

I heard him chuckle, and Talon snorted. "Why do you show one of the greatest fighters disrespect, when he's flat on his back and in pain?"

I replied, "Because he's my father, my trainer, and my mentor, and I love him."

Jett glared at me, and took the brunette's hand then left. I watched him, and Yokio sighed. Brute and Fear looked at me. "Are you sure that was a good thing to do?"

I shook my head. "Frankly, we're too used to acting upon our own, and we haven't trained as fighting as a team. Either way, I know that tomorrow in the team fight, Da will have to have a replacement. His leg is worse than he's letting on, and we both know it. Mom knows, too."

A hand touched my shoulder, and I turned to look at my mother. She smiled. "Bring Yokio."

We walked in, waving for Brute, Fear, Factor and Savage to wait there. Dad looked to Yokio, then to me. "How is his fighting technique?"

I immediately closed my mind off from Dinobot's. "Okay. Not exactly the type that you teach, but I'll get him hooked sooner or later."

"Skill level?"

"Mine or above."

"Fought in an arena before?"

"Possibly. He's hinted at it."

"Used our armor?"

"Dunno. Most likely not."

"Train him in that overnight. I'm sure that he'll do fine."

Yokio was looking between myself and my father. I smiled, grasped my Da's hand, and then turned, bringing Yokio back out to the three fighters waiting in the hall. A fighter from the North PlainFoxBoro Arena walked up to me. He indicated the room. "Will he fight tomorrow?"

I shook my head. "But he has a replacement in mind. I only have to ask him."

"Oh? Who's that?"

I looked at Yokio, and my husband grinned, and popped his knuckles. "You're on. But what about the armor? You're father's larger than I am, more broad-shouldered."

I blinked, and then shrugged. "You're a little shorter than him, but it shouldn't matter. The shoulder straps are adjustable, as is everything else. When everything's over tonight, I'll help you into it, and we can get maybe a half-hour of practice before my legs give out."

Brute leaned upon one of my shoulders heavily in play, and I twisted easily and landed him on his rear. "I have to go and rest, before the duel for Regional Champion. It's gonna be tough." I nodded to my father's comrade, who was looking Yokio over. "Termination, he's my fiancee. Stop looking at him like that."

Termination glared at me, and mocked a swipe at my head. "Impudent little girl!"

I laughed, and replied, "Now, now! Your wife wouldn't approve, and you know that, too!"

He chuckled, and shoved me gently towards my room, then knocked upon the door to my father's room. I walked off with my friends, to sit and relax before the final fight. I knew that it would hurt.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Eleven

The bell rang. I felt as if I were in a dream, as Yokio helped strap on my gauntlets tightly. Savage picked up my helmet, Brute my shield, and Factor my sword. Yokio, oddly, kissed me hard right in front of my fighting comrades, but I didn't mind. Once he pulled away, I rested my forehead against his collarbone, and then sighed. His hand combed through my hair once, then held my head close to him. He was scared that his dream would come true, that I would die in front of his eyes, while he was helpless, being held back.

With a deep breath, I stood straight, and walked with my friends, towards the arena. The media, as expected, met us half-way there, but not one reporter screamed a question at me. They didn't get in our way, but instead plastered themselves against the walls. Savage handed me the helmet, and I put it on, allowing Yokio to help with the straps on the back. I reached for my sword first, and then locked the scabbard into place on my lower back. If I needed to roll over, then it would detach. Brute held out my shield, and I slipped it onto my arm. Cameras were pointed to our direction, and the crowd was silent.

Tempest was trying to get the crowd to shout, but only a few weak cries went up. I walked into the arena, and looked up at the silent watchers.

A voice started to yell.

"Get 'im, Kedakai! Show 'em what a real fighter is!"

Another joined, from the other side.

"Show him what defeat means!"

And another.

"Give him hell! Rip his heart out and shove it down his throat!"

Most were male voices. They respected my father, and saw that I was gonna avenge his defeat. And I'd make it as painful as I could.

A wolf howl went up, oddly, and a 'Raptor's wail followed it. I looked up, and saw a group of people watching from the very top edge of the stands. I knew that Yokio had left my side to run up to the top of the open-air arena as well, so that he could yell in delight that I had made it this far. He now knew I was fine without him by my side, even though I still felt a small quiver of worry ripple gently across his chest . . . his Spark. I looked to an attendant, then indicated the group. "Those up there . . . I want them seated comfortably, out of harm's way. Yokio will be with them."

"Anywhere in particular?"

"Either my rooms, or wherever my fiancee thinks would be safer for them. They aren't humans, and might look odd, but they are to be treated with the same respect that you treat my father. If I hear that you or any who you have asked to help you have treated them as less, you'll be facing _me_ in combat. Understand?"

He nodded, completely serious, and left.

I looked to Tempest, drew my sword, then rested the tip upon the ground, and held it in place with the hand that usually held the shield completely in place. I gripped the scabbard, and pulled it free, glaring over at Tempest.

My voice was hard, I knew, and it echoed around the arena. "I'll make you pay, Tempest, for what you did to my father."

I threw the scabbard down beside and slightly behind me. That signified that I would rather die than lose to him.

The crowd burst to life, and Tempest glared over at me. "Then you'll be sadly disappointed."

The doors opened, and I walked in calmly, while Tempest rushed in, and ran at me. I glared at him, and then moved quickly, as fast as I would allow myself. With a sudden realization, I knew that I had speed unrivaled, that I had never found before. Tempest skidded to a halt, then looked at me. He jogged forward, and then rushed at me. I timed it, and then leapt upwards, flipping, and then landed behind him, kicking his back with my right foot as soon as my left was stable on the ground. He stumbled forwards, and then caught his balance. The crowds were, as my father once put it, wailing for me to win.

Tempest grinned, and then attacked with more ferocity than I have seen him show in any of his last battles. I deflected his sword's blows grimly, knowing that one wrong move, and I was toast. If he got _one_lucky shot in, with the force that he was using, he probably _could_ kill me.

Then, it happened. With a step forward on his left leg, a false swing of his right arm, his sword arm, he grabbed my sword arm with his shield-free left arm as I ducked. His right leg wedged itself around my left leg, and his whole body twisted.

Pain was my whole world, as his sword came whistling down. With a yell, I rolled, and then stood, ignoring the pain. I've had worse. With a grunt, I gripped my left leg, as I remembered _exactly_the way it had been dislocated. I watched Tempest. He skidded to a halt, as I _roared_ in pain and concentration, and popped my leg back into place, then sagged slightly, letting the pain take a temporary toll.

With a deep breath, I stood straight, and then looked at him. He was between me . . . and my new sword. _Bad_idea. I already really liked that sword.

The crowds were on their feet, yelling so loud that I _felt_the ground tremble. I readied myself, and then glared at Tempest. We stood still, and the crowds' cries dwindled to nothingness. Silence.

We stood still for over a minute, before he sheathed his sword, and then locked it to his back. I lowered into an unarmed fighting stance, and waited for his attack. He didn't wait too long. As he came towards me with a left punch, I gripped his arm and used his momentum against him so that he went tumbling. In a flash I had my sword again, and he stood, chuckling. "You think that I'm gonna play nice, Kedakai? Hah. Insanity. I sharpened a new edge upon my sword . . . just for you."

I waited, as he pulled his sword free, and twisted it, so that the mainly-unused side was now the one towards me. I looked into his eyes, a steely grey, and then replied, "If you think that a sharpened sword can stop me, you're wrong."

"Prove it, girl."

"I trained with one. Father taught me how to defend against one. My first sword was a katana, sharpened to perfection. My father's even cut me, accidentally, during practice. I'm no stranger to the bright edge of a blade." I lowered myself into an attack position. My voice was a growl "Prepare for defeat."

With a yell I attacked. All I saw, was him. And I was angry. He hurt my trainer. He hurt my mentor. He hurt my father. He hurt the father of my sibling-to-be. He threatened to take me away from Dinobot. He threatened my life.

And I was going to make him pay for it through his nose.

He couldn't bring his sword around fast enough to block all my attacks. I was punishing him fiercely with the flat of my blade, causing him to lose ground at every new onslaught of moves. There was nothing that he could do, but take it.

Soon, he was on the ground, swordless, daggerless, defenseless, with my sword resting upon the base of his throat. The bell tolled, kept going past what would have usually been the customary six that a regional champion receives . . . and I backed away, panting. My foot brushed against something, and I saw that it was his sword.

I looked at it, then picked it up, after leaning my own sword against my hip. With practiced moves, I took my helmet off, amid shouts of victory from the stands, and then looked up at the fighter looking at me, his own helmet off, and his face a mask of confusion. I hung my helmet upon the hook that normally held my scabbard, then picked up my sword and walked over to Tempest. He lowered his head, then bowed upon one knee, not looking at me. I touched his shoulder, then when he looked at me, at my eyes, I said with a gentle smile, "Well fought, Tempest. Thank you for the fight."

I rested his sword against his shoulder, and smiled once more, kindly, and began to walk away, when I felt him grab my arm, then stand. "Please. Forgive my actions towards your father, and towards you. Although . . . how you managed to put your leg back in place . . ."

I shook my head. "Talk to him yourself. As for me, well, we were fighting. The whole point is to take your opponent out. And don't ask about the leg deal. Please."

He nodded, and then grinned. "Forgive this, too."

"Wha – hey! Tempest!"

He hoisted me upon his shoulder, and yelled out to the multitudes, "Meet your Regional Champion, New England! You'll never find a better fighter!"

I smiled, and then said, "I'm not better than the rest of them. Can you put me down, now?"

He chuckled, and did so, then said, "But if you and Yokio ever get divorced . . ."

With a shake of my head, I replied, "We never will. We know that."

As we spoke of him, my "husband-to-be" came running up to me, then grabbed my head between his hands, asking, "Are you okay?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yokio–"

"Alessa, are you sure?"

"Will you–"

"Are you okay?"

I laughed, and embraced him, sighing into his shoulder. _Dinobot, I'm as good as I can get, after dueling. I'm fine._

_Your leg . . ._

I pulled away from him, and said, "And I don't want to hear it."

"Fine. But you'd better _feel_ this."

He kissed me hard, again, right in front of Tempest and the whole of New England. Once he pulled away, I looked at him. "If you do that again, so help me, I'll–"

"Lay him? Please say that's what you were going to say," Brute's voice said.

I glared at him from around Yokio. "Can I kill you?"

Before I was whisked away to the winner's circle, I gripped Yokio's hand lightly, remembering my armor after I took his hand into mine, and said, "We have to talk."

He nodded, and I was brought forward. Just as the ceremonies were beginning, he whispered, _The visitors are being brought to the Pavilion as we speak. They're safe._

_So I'll meet them after tomorrow's team death-match? I'm not gonna get a chance to get to the Pavilion until then, knowing procedures here._

_Yes. You can trust them, I assure you._

As I was being presented with the cup and the awards for being the Regional Champion, I looked over to my father, who was standing with the help of my mother, beaming. I smiled, and looked at Yokio, who was fighting his way towards me again. I helped him up, and then sat beside him, on the winner's platform. The horde of watchers were yelling for me to do a speech. I held my hand up for silence, then called out, "And what would you have me speak on?"

"Winning!"

"The fight!"

"Other fighters!"

"Fighting styles!"

"Your fiancé!"

The last one broke the tension completely, and I laughed. "Alright, alright, hold on. I'm not gonna get into some long-winded session about any of those things. I know that it's tradition for the Regional Champion to do so, but sorry, I've been bored far too many times with Dad's eloquent passages."

That caused guffaws, as my father glared at me, then tossed a foam pad at my head. I batted it away, and continued. "But I'll speak about what drives each and every fighter that you've seen here, in one form or another." I took a breath. "Honor and pride are two fickle matters. I'll start with pride. It's what drives us to keep standing, to keep getting up. It's what helps us keep our heads held high and our shoulders square. Without pride, wether it be in ourselves, our training, our mentors, or our arena, none of us would have made it this far.

"Honor is the same. Honor is the code that keeps our anger in check. It is what keeps us stable, in a constantly shifting environment. Had we no honor, then none of us could have let our opponents live. Without the honor that binds us, we are nothing. We are not a single body, we are not of one mind, we are separated and cut apart." I paused, and smiled. "Tomorrow, is the first competition in the 'team death-match,' as my fighters have started to call it. We will have to fight as a team, in an arena that has a changing setup after every fight." I grinned. "This will be quite interesting, won't you say?"

As the crowd roared its affirmation, I looked to Yokio, who smiled, and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Let's get you something cold for that hip of yours."

They were trying to armor Yokio, but none of them could figure out my father's armor pattern, and Dad had told me not to tell them. Mom made me promise. She also made my father promise the same thing. So, they were looking to me, while I was sitting upon the couch, strong painkillers circulating through my bloodstream, and an cold compress resting upon my hip. It was bruising, but the medics said that I hadn't pinched a nerve, or anything else around it. I had been brought into the emergency room via a back door, been x-rayed, and then sent back. We wouldn't be going back to the Pavilion, until after all the ceremonies are through. Anyway, my hip would swell slightly, and I'd be uncomfortable, but nothing serious would happen. I'd just have to take it easy tomorrow.

"Alessa, how are you able to get into that armor?!" Factor asked for the fifth time.

I looked at him. "I grew up with it. Now think. Michael! Stop whispering to Terrence!"

Brute and Fear, as they are otherwise known, looked up meekly. I glared at them. "I'll make you polish that. Again." I indicated the gold cup that had been presented to me. They grinned, and then looked over to Yokio, who was looking at the helmet. That cup had been polished three times already.

Kale Haleleigha, and his brother Nahele Iolana, came in grinning. The slightly-larger of the two, Kale, grinned, and said, "Alessa, the media is at the end of the hall."

I groaned. "Does security know?"

"Security has issues, as usual," Nahele replied, grinning, "and we had to help convince them that you're having 'time' with your fiancé."

"You're _not_ helping, Factor," I growled. "I'm in pain; they can't get the armor on Yokio, since I'm sworn not to tell them; Michael and Terrence are snickering about something that I don't want to know about, and I haven't seen–"

Ito-chan ran in, slammed the door, and looked at me. "Media followed me."

I glared at him. "And where have _you_ been, Itosugi Yamayuurei?! I've been worried that you had left early, gotten sick or something!"

He shook his head. "We had to do this commentary on the final fights. It's taken forever, and I'm so sorry that I wasn't able to escape from it, and come down to congratulate you, little sister."

"'Little'? I'm four inches taller than you."

"Younger?"

"Fine." I closed my eyes. "And you can help them armor Yokio, if you feel like it. Personally, I'd stand and watch them fall over themselves, trying to figure it out. Michael, if would you stop whispering to Terrence, I'd feel safer. And don't you give me that face, Terrence. Yokio! Aah . . . I've had it up to here with the lot of you! I'm going to sleep!"


	12. Chapter Twelve

Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Twelve

I yawned, feeling rather warm, and overly cozy. Arms were wrapped around me, and I looked over my shoulder to see Yokio there. And Michael. And Terrence. And Kale, Nahele, and Itosugi. Yokio growled softly by my ear, and I kissed him quietly. "How did it go last night?"

"Fine. The armor fit, and your father spoke to me, training me verbally on how to use it."

Ito-chan called over sleepily, "You should have been there to see it, Are-chan. Mi_ya_!"

Yokio reached over, and hit him lightly. "Yes, and _you_ taped it!"

I laughed, and said, "I'm going to watch that when we have the chance!" With a groan, I rolled out of the massive bed, and stood carefully, dressed in flannel pyjama pants, and a sports-bra. I carefully applied weight to my left leg, ready to fall, if necessary. Instead, it felt almost completely normal. I lifted my right leg clear of the floor, and pulled my knee up to my chin, then released it, to stand on both feet again. All six boys were watching me. I blinked at them, then said, "What?"

They shrugged, and I walked to the walk-in closet that was in this room, turned the light on in it, and chose an outfit from my suitcase. I then escaped to the shower. There was a knock, once I was drying off, and I wrapped the towel around me, then opened the door a crack. Yokio was there, and said, "There's a line."

I sighed, and then let him in, keeping the towel tightly wrapped around me. He shifted forms, and sighed. I looked to him, and he stretched his back and tail, as he had shifted to becoming the Velociraptor I had first met him as. _I'm deprived . . ._

_From what?_ I asked cautiously, making sure that he wasn't watching me finish drying off. I wasn't sure if I wanted to know what he was talking about, or not. It couldn't hurt to ask, though.

_This form. And my robot mode._

_You're nearly completely healed._

He went to turn to look at me, but I wrapped the towel firmly around myself, and then tucked it in. I reached over and touched his right cheek, where the scar was. He rested his head against my palm, and I pulled him slightly closer. He sighed, and looked at me. I rubbed my nose against his snout, then closed my eyes. _Dinobot, what is it?_

_Nothing._

_Please . . . please tell me._

He opened his eyes, and then closed them again, and pressed closer to me, trembling. I wrapped my arms around him, hoping that my towel would stay, and felt a warm substance drip upon my shoulders. With a sigh, I held him as tight as I could, and his Spark whispered, _Are you hurting?_

_No. I'm in no pain. Why? How is that possible?_

_I . . . I helped heal you._

_How?_ He didn't answer for a moment, and I pulled away, to see that what had been running along my shoulders were . . . were his tears. I sighed, and then wiped them away. _You're the one in pain, Dinobot. You denied yourself the luxury of healing yourself, to allow me to heal._

_Negative. I only helped, as I remembered that I had to fight today._

I looked at him, and then kissed his snout. He lowered it, and whispered, _Look into yourself. I was lying when I said that there was a line for the bathroom. Your parents are already up and out, and they said that the other boys could use their bathroom, provided that they clean up afterwards._

I looked at him. _What do you mean, look into myself?_

His eyes closed. _You're lucky that I was the first into the bedroom last night. You don't remember waking up, either. This is the third time that it has happened._

_What? What do you mean?_

_You . . . you were in beast mode._

Something hit my shoulder lightly, and then kisses were plastered over my face. I spluttered, and then sat up, thus causing my towel to come undone. I tugged at it furiously, and then looked up, to see Dinobot looking away. I sighed, then decided to give up on the whole ordeal. I turned his snout to face me. "Tell me that you didn't say what I thought you said."

He watched me silently, his eyes never leaving mine. I sighed, and then rested my forehead against the tip of his snout, and absently rubbed the sides. He emitted what can only be described as a purr, and leaned more into it. I blinked, stopped, then looked up at him. His eyes were half-open, but he shook his head, and looked at me apologetically. I smiled, and asked, _Did I do something wrong?_

The 'Raptor looked down, then back up abruptly, an odd red shade creeping into his scales. I smiled and took my towel up again. He replied, _No, nothing at all. You just . . . you just ahem . . . started to somewhat preform the first, ah . . . advances of . . . hurumph._

He cleared his throat numerous times, and I said, _I know what you're trying to say. I understand. But . . . how did I enter my beast mode? How?_

Dinobot maximized, and wrapped his arms around me. I held onto him, and he whispered, "I love you."

I smiled, and then let myself settle into my soul, and sighed. Something shifted, and I opened my eyes again, to behold a . . . I rested my hands upon the floor, and closed my eyes again, not wanting to faint again. Dinobot's arms wrapped around me again, and I relaxed into them. _Thank you._

_For what?_

I rubbed my cheek against his, and replied, _For helping me through that._

An mischievously evil look came into his eyes, as he replied, _I got to see your legs. I'm happy._

I hit him lightly, and he shifted to his human mode. I looked away, as he undressed and got into the shower. I, too, shifted to my human form, and then finished drying off. I dressed and sat, waiting for him. We said nothing, but instead, comforted each other through our presence. Soon, though, he shut the shower off, and called out, "Could you hand me a towel?"

I opened the door, walked out, then called in, "You can do that yourself, Yokio. I have to get ready to meet the media, and so do you. We're gonna be in armor all day today after breakfast out at some restaurant."

"Oh, slag it all. I forgot that 'we' part. Alright, I'll hurry."

"Thanks."

"_Hohoemu kudasai, Shujuku Kedakai!"_

I blinked, then smiled at the Japanese fan. She grinned, and I closed my eyes, smiling again, holding up my first two fingers in a "V" for victory, hearing her hit the shutter again. Yokio joined me, shifting somewhat uncomfortably, and I immediately saw why. "Hold still."

He did, and I loosened the buckles one notch for his shoulder-guards. Camera shutters were going off at every turn. He sighed, and said over his shoulder, "How did you know that was the problem?"

"I've been working with armor ever since I would reach the top handle for the bellows in my father's forge. I thought you knew that. Oh, and you still have to enter your name for the team fight."

Termination walked over, and said, "I can run and tell them now, so . . ."

Yokio blinked, then said, "Call me Dinobot."

It was before we split to be with our separate, if temporary, arenas. We were wearing identical armor with the other members of our arenas so that we could be identified as in an arena and not as individuals. Yokio tugged gently upon my bangs. "I don't want to fight you in the arena."

"You'll fight who you will. I'll see if I can fight Tempest again. He's got a style I'd like to learn more of. What's a better way to learn something than when in combat?"

He chuckled, and I laughed, then looked over to where Termination was standing, waving. I waved in return, and kissed Yokio, hearing camera shutters going off once again. He kissed my cheek in return, and rested his forehead upon mine, smiling. "You be safe, okay?"

"I will. You too, Yokio."

He smiled, and I wrinkled my nose, smiling as well. He stood straight, then walked off, reaching behind him for his helmet, which was hanging on his scabbard, a borrowed sword from my father. I would be making him one of his own soon.

I joined Brute, Fear, and Talon by our gate, and smiled at them. Talon glared at me, then turned away. I sighed silently, and Brute fell to one knee, taking my right hand in his, after seeing cameras around us again. "Please, O Noble One, will you reconsider your marriage to that _heathen_ Yokio Kenkokoro, and join in the holiest matrimony with myself?"

I blinked at him, took my hand out of his, and hit his head. "Dope. Wait until Yokio sees this. He'll insist that I write you off of my will."

He stood, brushed himself off, and said, "I can see that I'll have to behave, if I'm to inherit the forge, then."

I grinned. "What makes you think that I'm going to give that to you? For all _you_ know, Itosugi will be getting that forge! You _know_ that he's been in there more times than you have!"

Michael Brute grinned, and Fear called out, "Before he asks, will you enter the arena on my arm? Please?"

I glared at him, then chuckled. "If anything, I'll walk over to Yokio's temporary arena, and walk in upon _his_ arm! And you _know_ how strict the rules are about entering the arena through your own door."

The announcement for all involved arenas to enter was made, and we walked in, then stood under our arena tapestry. The announcer was in the center, upon a raised stage. It was one of the obstacles that would be in the arena for the team death match. We'd have to avoid that one, since he'd be there throughout the whole event. I looked over the moveable obstacles, noting that they _would_ be moved around after every match, creating a different challenge for each fight.

I looked to my right, and saw Yokio there. I nodded once, and heard, "There are five arenas left in the competition with enough points to enter in the Deathmatch! They are as follows: WeyQuinTree, North PlainFoxBoro, Cape Islands, Berkshire, and North Shore Arenas! Surprisingly enough, none of the other New England arenas have made the required point-level to proceed to this new and treacherous challenge!"

_Hmm . . . sounds like a Tarantulus-type of fight. Completely unfair. Reminds be of the Beast Wars in a way . . . Wouldn't you agree, Alessa?_

_Dinobot!_

_What?! Blame me for speaking the truth!_

_You and your nostalgic moments. I love you, you know that?_

_Thankfully, yes._

"–And the fighters are: From North Shore Arena, Demise, Fuerza, Heion, and Azufre!"

The fighters raised their bare swords to their names, gathering the cheers of the crowds.

"From the Berkshire Arena: Tempest, Factor, Comadreja, and Shintaku!"

The same motions, the same reactions . . . I looked to Dinobot, who nodded once. Our arenas would be different.

"Cape Islands Arena! Savage, Veloz, Calofrio, and Destello!"

I spread the word to my fighters. Talon didn't listen, but Fear and Brute nodded their agreement. One glance over to Dinobot, as Yokio, within his borrowed armor, showed that he was ready. Our reaction would be unlike the other arenas'.

"From North PlainFoxBoro Arena, Termination, Befire, Fuego, and standing in for Extinction, who is still recovering from his final duel yesterday, is Dinobot!"

As their names were called, each removed his helmet, and bowed.

The crowds loved it.

"And finally! From the WeyQuinTree Arena, the femme fatale wonder, Kedakai! With her warriors: Brute, Fear, and Talon!"

As each of our names were declared, we did both. First, we took our helmets off, then raised our swords in a tribute. All, but Talon, who stood stock-still, neither acknowledging his name being called, nor the glares aimed at him from the other four arenas, who, apparently, didn't approve of his behavior either. Brute aimed an especially-evil glare at him, then stood straighter, his face hard. Even the announcer seemed puzzled by his behavior. "WELL! Looks like there's a bit of non-cooperation in your ranks, there, Kedakai! Hope that it clears up before the fight! All right! First up, are the Cape Islands and the Berkshire arenas!"

We exited, and I knew that cameras were on me as I dropped everything, and pinned Talon to the wall. "You. Idiot. We _all_ need you in this! Dad couldn't fight, and Yokio was the only other fighter that could replace him to save his arena from dishonor." I removed his helmet without a second thought, swiftly, and hissed into his face. "If my father wasn't injured, then I would have replaced _you_ with Yokio that very moment you questioned my words with my father."

Turning away, I picked up all my dropped gear, and walked into the lounge, and sat on a stool. Termination, his helmet off, walked over. "You almost completely lost it."

"Not. Now."

Dinobot joined him, and placed a hand upon each of my cheeks, angling my head to look up at him. "Al . . . Kedakai, I mean . . ." I whispered something to him, as I looked up into his green eyes. He sighed, and the rested his forehead against mine. "Oh, you."

"If I didn't do that, then I wouldn't have said things that I did. He needs more than just a verbal rebuke."

"You can polish the armor," my father's voice said, "but you cannot change what it is."

I looked up at him, and then nodded, closing my eyes, and sighing. "I take it you saw."

He chuckled, and replied, "I was worried that you would have put him _through_ the wall, my daughter. Even then, he would have deserved it for treating you the way that he has over the past few weeks."

Termination patted my shoulder, and said, "Kai, you'll hold up fine."

I nodded, and heard the crowd screaming in delight. I pecked Yokio upon his cheek, then walked over to Brute and Fear, who were glaring at Talon. The boy was flirting with some blonde. I sighed. "Talon, come here, please. We have things to talk about."

"Really? I don't."

"Then you'll find yourself quickly at the disadvantage, in the Deathmatch. A full team, against one? The rest of us will forfeit."

Yokio called over, "One against many has been done before, and you know that, Kedakai."

Talon indicated Yokio. "See? He agrees."

"However, that person was near death by the end, and was only saved by chance."

It struck me. He was talking out of his own experience. I looked to him, and saw that even though his emerald eyes were hard as the stone they had taken their color from, they were distant. I looked back at the blonde, who smiled, and walked up to me. "Can I get your autograph for my little sister?"

Talon, I saw, was seething. I smiled at the blonde, and asked, "Sure. Wait."

I trotted over to a table, where there were rare black-and-white pictures of us fighters, and picked one up, as well as a pen. Talon was hissing something to the blonde, who blinked over her shoulder at him, and said, "Well? Do you expect me to believe that? Betrothal is betrothal, and nothing else. Duh, she couldn't have decided against it, she was out cold! _Not to mention_, that even if she wasn't unconscious, I doubt that she would have gone against it." She winked at Yokio, whistled, and added, "And sweetie, I'm telling you . . . after seeing _that_ face, she wouldn't say no if she had to. Sorry, Jett, but he out-ranks you in the looks, possibly even in personality as well."

I blinked, rested my hand upon the table again, and then walked back towards the blonde, asking, "So, your sister's name is . . . ?"

She chuckled, and said, "Fayette." She chuckled again. "And she's going to go for her black-belt tests in a month."

I wrote a quick note, wishing her well on her tests. I stopped writing for a moment, to look up at the wall-sized TV screen, seeing the fighters start to engage in combat. This was a top-view, with the colored helmets of the armor showing which sides the fighters were from. I then looked back down, and switched the top and bottom photos, surprising the girl by asking, "And your name is?"

She blushed. "Ronna."

"And what belt are you going for?"

"How do you know that I'm going for one at all?"

"You walk like you're a fighter. It's the way that you balance yourself."

She laughed, and I smiled at her. She was about my height. "Okay, okay, I'm going for my second level of black-belt."

I wrote her the note, adding a little extra at the bottom, and then handed her the two autographs, turning to face the screen. Yokio walked over and kissed my cheek. "I have to talk with the others in the arena I'm with today."

I nodded, and heard, "NO WAY!!!"

"Something wrong, Ronna?" I asked innocently.

"Are you serious?! You and your Dad will teach me?!"

"If and when you get your degree."

She hugged me quickly, then ran to the door, only to stop. "What about my sister?"

"Do you think that I'd leave someone out, who is as diligent to get her black belt as you are? The same condition applies." I looked over to her, smiled, and said, "Now get out before security comes and tells you . . . hi guys! Hey, let her off easy."

The security guys, all buff, grinned at her, and popped their knuckles. She dropped into a fighting stance, and then one playfully feigned a punch, only to have his wrist twisted, but not so hard that it broke. All she did was hold it while he blinked at her. She released him, and he pulled his sleeve up, showing a brace. "That's been tried before. Good form, though. Maybe you can join the ranks . . . ?"

"I've claimed her as potential apprentice!" I called over, not watching them anymore. I was watching the Deathmatch. "So hands off, slimebag!"

"Now, now, no need to be harsh, snotbrain!"

The bell rang for time-up as three beats, and the announcer roared out, "And Cape Islands has the win by twenty-three hits! Next up! Fighters from WeyQuinTree and North PlainFoxBoro, please enter the arena!"

We walked out, each paired with another fighter of the opposite team, by the judges. That paired person, was who we were going to fight. I was scared. Talon was against Dinobot. I was against Befire, Brute was against Termination, and Fear was against Fuego. But I feared for Dinobot, and how Talon was going to behave. He wouldn't hold back, but I didn't know how strong he was, even _after_ three weeks of healing. It scared me, because I didn't know if Dinobot was going to hold back.

It was going to be an ugly fight.

The bell rang once to start the fight, and I faced off with Befire. We circled a few times, and I pulled a quick move, wanting to end the fight quickly. He sheathed his sword, acknowledging my victory, and we climbed up so that we could see a few of the other fighters. Termination was winning . . . no . . . he won, and they joined us, Brute with his sword sheathed. Termination and I tapped swords, congratulating each other, as Fear used his small stature to win against Fuego. Then, it was only Talon and Dinobot left. I looked up at the announcer, and called up, "Tell the judges to let the time slide on this."

He turned his mike off, and asked, "You doin' all right? Your hip hurt or something?"

"I'm fine, but let the time slide."

He nodded, activated a smaller microphone, and I looked back at my husband . . . and someone who could have been a lover, once. Both were completely intent upon fighting each other. I watched Talon's movements carefully. He was intent upon hitting Dinobot with everything that he could. He whirled, but Dinobot blocked it easily, leaping back out of his range. I looked to the others, and we sheathed our swords in unison, all leaving it up to these two to decide who would go on to the finals. I leapt to another pedestal, and continued watching. This time, Dinobot slashed out, catching Talon's side, and gaining five points. Talon grunted with the impact, but swung out with his left fist. Dinobot caught it with his own left, and blocked a swipe from Talon's sword. They struggled, each trying to gain the upper hand. Finally, Dinobot pulled a harsh twist, sending Talon stumbling into the pillar I was standing upon. It wobbled, and I leapt free, rolling to my feet, as it fell.

_You alright?!_ Dinobot asked, his voice strained.

_I'm fine! Heads up!_

He leapt out of the way, as Talon started to run at him. But then, he stopped, and looked to me. I held my hands up, showing that I was unarmed, and out of the Deathmatch. Talon spat out one word. Unfortunately, there had been microphones installed into the arena overnight. His comment echoed through the center.

"Coward."

Dinobot's voice followed, filled with anger. "Kedakai is many things, but one she is certainly _not_ is a coward! She has left the Deathmatch upon her own choice, and is no longer a factor in who wins and who loses."

"So she can't defend herself anymore?" Talon sneered, playing with his sword slightly, shifting it in his grip.

A sharp whistle sounded to my right, and I threw myself towards it, stepping on Termination's joined hands, feeling him throw me upwards, as I timed it, and leapt up higher at the same time. He followed me up, and then turned, and snorted back down to Talon. "You treat your Arena Marshal with the respect she deserves, Talon."

He glared up, and I watched back silently, taking my helmet off. The others did so as well. When our swords were sheathed, there was always the option of taking them out again. Once the helmet came off, then there was no point of return. I looked to Dinobot, and blinked my eyes slowly in respect. He had to win. There was no doubt about it.

If he didn't win, I feared that Talon would kill him.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Thirteen

Dinobot dodged through the pillars, with me following carefully. The others were following behind me, following my path. I chose only the most stable-looking obstacles, leaving the others alone. Talon's longsword was useless in this tight area. Dinobot's sword was much shorter, but wider. It was slightly longer than his arm, which was ideal in the style that my father and I used.

Finally, he turned, pushed off of the obstacle in front of him, and flew upwards, over Talon's head and landing upon the boy. He rolled free, and then remained in a "guard" position. With a yell, Talon rushed at him, and thrust his sword at Dinobot's mid-section. My husband dodged it to the side, but with a deep yell, drove the tip of his borrowed sword _through_Talon's, pinning it to the obstacle, almost half-way to the hilt. Talon tried tugging it free, but Dinobot leapt up, and kicked him away, towards open ground again. I watched, as Talon snarled, "I'll fight you for her!"

"Why would she want that?!" Dinobot replied, throwing a left punch at Talon's shoulder. Something cracked, and I felt pain from Dinobot, radiating from his fist. But on the outside, if you were only watching him, he was in no pain whatsoever.

"Why not?!" Talon replied, clutching his shoulder.

"You don't know her at all, do you," Dinobot replied softly, slowly flexing his left hand.

_Stop doing that, Dinobot. You broke your wrist._

_I know. It'll heal in a moment._

Talon sneered, and kicked out at Dinobot's chin. He caught it as a glancing blow, and skidded backwards, but rolled out of it, and stood, rubbing the armor. "Talon, you idiot. Why would she allow herself to be won over by a show of force? You _know_ that is not who she is!"

Talon didn't answer, but Dinobot put the flexible armor to use, and rolled close to Talon, then pulled an impressively flexible move, by still crouching close to the ground, and kicking up, pulling off an almost-split. Talon doubled over in pain, holding his arms close to his stomach, where I saw a dent the size of Dinobot's armored foot. The announcer was mentioning things quickly, always ready to cut himself off, if one of the two said something. Even his almost-raucous voice, and way of talking about the fighters, was gone, replaced by a quick, intense comment.

I felt no pain from Dinobot, as a result of the kick, so I called over quietly, _Should I ask how you're that flexible, and why you don't have pain while other men would? You forget to tell me something?_

He chuckled inwardly, and replied, _No. You'll find out, though . . . soon enough . . ._

I sighed. _Dinobot, get those kind of thoughts out of your mind. Focus._

Talon looked up at Dinobot, and then straightened suddenly, loosening the chin-guard, and lifting his helmet up, spitting blood. "Got me good. Any last words?"

Dinobot pulled his arms up, resting lightly in an unarmed fighting stance. Before anything could happen, though, a shadow passed over me. I looked up, and saw a red . . . a red _dragon_ fly overhead. I looked back at Dinobot, but he was looking at Talon, watching him carefully. I looked back up, and he dropped something down, but it clattered on top of the fence. It fell through, and between the two fighters. I blinked at it, then looked up at the dragon. It flapped, and then flew off. Dinobot glanced at it. _Alessa, I'm going to throw it over to you. Get ready._

_Will do. What is it?_

_A message that my Spark received the second it hit the ground. Catch!_

He moved so quickly, that he seemed to be blurring, and I brought my hands up just in time, to catch a type of laptop, and stumble back into Fear. He looked at me, and helped me stand again. I watched, as he kicked Talon's legs out from under him, and then leapt away. Already, I sensed that his hand was getting better. Talon, though, was a wreck. And he kept getting back up. I felt bad for him, I guess.

But what he pulled a moment later, stopped all pity then and there.

A flash of silver, at a rare moment when Dinobot's guard wasn't as high as it had been.

Pain flooded his left side, up . . . almost by his . . .

I yelled, and ran over, not caring that my helmet was off. My sword was drawn, and I stood between Dinobot, who was laying on the ground, breathing hard, wheezing, and Talon, who held his hand out to me. I moved my sword in warning, but he kept it still. I glared at him. I didn't recognize my own voice. "Get away from my husband."

He looked as if he were in shock. "What?!"

"Back off. Get out of my sight. Get out."

The others stood around Dinobot, who was coming to. I hissed back at him, "Stay down."

"Alessa . . ."

"Dinobot, do as I say."

He was silent, but I heard him relax back against the ground softly. Itosugi appeared behind Talon in his old fighting armor, sword bared and with guards backing him. He called over, "They were married shortly after they met. I was one of the witnesses to them. Now, if you don't mind coming with me, you'll face less time in jail."

Talon turned back towards me, revealing another dagger, and readying it for a strike. I cleared my mind, and then in a blitz of kicks and blows with the flat of my blade, I knocked him closer to the guards. He tried to stab at my face, but I ducked it, and elbowed him sharply where Dinobot had left a dent. He made a "hurk" noise, and spat up blood again. The guards grabbed him, pinning him down and relieving him of his weaponry, while Kedamono and I ran back to Dinobot. Brute had already taken his helmet off, and when he saw me, Yokio Dinobot smiled weakly, his face pale and drawn with pain. I sighed, and said, "I think the secret's out about you."

"Yeah," he replied. "If we weren't . . . I'd be a goner."

"Got your heart, didn't he."

"It'll heal. Small incision."

Brute and Fear looked at me in shock. The smaller fighter stuttered, "Jett hit _what_?!"

I tapped the handle of the dagger, and Yokio winced. I looked up at his face, and he closed his eyes, balling his fists. I sighed, and said, "You know this is going to be messy."

"Oh, get it the slag over with."

I pulled the dagger free, pushing my hand against the wound quickly, but the blood slipped by my armor. I couldn't staunch the blood flow at all. Kedamono handed me a few towels, and I wadded one, while handing one to Brute, who looked as if he was going to pass out. "Cut that into strips. Hurry, please."

He did, and I carefully had the guys pull Yokio upwards, slowly, so that I could get a few under him. I tied them around the wadded towel, which was starting to turn red. Finally, I pushed the third towel against the first, and leaned forward, kissing my husband. "You're lucky, you know that?"

"I hurt."

"I know."

"Ugh . . ."

I chuckled, and judged the he was safe to move. We started to lift him, but he shook his head. "Let me walk."

"But–" Termination started to say.

I cut him off, saying, "You walked off when you broke your leg three years ago. This is no different. Trust me on that."

He sighed, and nodded. Brute supported his right side, while I supported his left, still holding the towels against the wound. The crowd rose to their feet, cheering madly, as we left the arena. I looked to Kedamono, who was smiling as he opened the doors for us. Ronna was standing there. She held a large first-aid kit under her arm, standing by our rooms. The other fighters were all working together with each other and with security, keeping the media at bay far from where we were, letting us pass without having flashes going off in our faces. Fear opened the door, and my mother and father were in the room, spreading two blankets over a plastic sheet that was covering the high examination bed. We laid Yokio down. I cut the towels free, as I heard the announcement.

"A representative of the arenas North PlainFoxBoro and WeyQuinTree is wanted at the arena, immediately. Repeat–"

I didn't even look up to Brute as I called his name, while Dad told Termination to go. The two left, and I finished pulling his armor around Yokio's chest off. He winced, and I pulled my gauntlets off, and then washed the area around the wound out. He yelped, as it stung.

I snorted. "Baby."

"_You_ try this!"

"Remember when I got that wound on my chest? Actually, I feel lucky that I passed out."

He groaned, and winced, as I finished cleaning. Ronna handed me a needle and thread, but I handed it back, pointing to the tape, instead. She handed me a few strips, and I neatly taped the wound shut. "Don't ask, Ronna, because you honestly don't want to know."

Mom tapped my shoulder, and said, "How long?"

I blinked. "Give me fifteen minutes. If you knock, and don't hear an answer, please don't enter."

She nodded, and ushered everyone back outside. I started taking all my armor off, letting it fall to the floor by the wall. Finally, I was free from the metal casing, as well as my shirt. Again. Then, only then, did I lean over Yokio, and reach around him, to cradle him closer to me. He sighed into my shoulder, and I closed my eyes, feeling the pain start to come, once more.

"Alessa?"

It was Mom's voice . . . from the other side of the door.

I opened my eyes, seeing Yokio's chin, and then croaked out, "Yeah?"

"Good. You're alive."

"Gee, _that's_ real motherly of you."

"Shut up, Alessa," Yokio growled fondly, not moving. I knew that his eyes were still closed. I pulled away slightly, and looked at his chest, then pulled the tape off of the new scar. He sighed, and said, "So what about the rest of the armor?"

"Gimme a moment," I said, touching the scar. "Huh. He got a lung, too, didn't he?"

"Yep."

"Shush."

"Alessa," he said quietly, "it's pinching."

"Huh? Where? I don't see where your armor could _possibly_–"

"_Alessa!"_

"Oh."

He groaned, and let his head fall back, sighing. "You're impossible."

I chuckled, helping him sit up, while I started to pull off the remaining armor. Once that was done, and he was in the black fighting gear that was like what I wore underneath my own armor, I walked around the screen to give him his privacy, while I pulled on a few loose items. He came around the screen, and I embraced him carefully, knowing that it would still hurt a bit. The door opened, and I heard the others start to file in. I walked back around the screen, hopped, really, as I pulled on a pair of socks. The guys all looked at the bed, but then heard Yokio's cuss, as he stubbed his toe, looking for a shirt. I called over, "It should be to your right, hanging on the screen."

The top of the shirt disappeared, and Yokio appeared around the screen a moment later, tugging it over his head. The scar was visible. Dad walked closer, and poked it, resulting in a rather girlish yelp from Yokio. I turned away, laughing, and saw the others blinking. Ito-chan shook his head, and Terence Fear asked, "Are you two really married after all?"

I felt my face heat up, as I nodded. "Yeah."

He looked to Ito-chan. "And you witnessed?"

The Japanese boy laughed, shaking his head. "No, that wouldn't be proper. They were married by Yokio's culture. And you know who and what he is."

"Not exactly," Terrence replied quietly. "Brute knows more than I do."

I looked up at Yokio, and he smiled, then shifted to his robot mode, resting a hand on my shoulder, catching his balance. I chuckled, and helped him stand. "What's the matter? Forgot how tall you really were? That's not a good thing, Dinobot."

Terrence blinked, and then sighed. "Okay, I give up. I don't want to know anything more."

Itosugi chuckled. "You remember when she defended Jett from Fang?"

"Yeah."

"And those lacerations that she received as a result?"

"Yeah . . . ?"

"How do you think that they were healed? What about Dinobot's chest? Had he been a real human, like you or me, then he would have died out there. They are bound on the spiritual level. As for how or why, I don't know." He rested his helmet on the counter-top, and then turned to sit upon it, next to my trophy.

I chuckled, and looked up at Dinobot. _Can I tell?_

He blinked at me slowly, and sighed. _Better you than me. You know them better._

"You're right," I said, chuckling, "I do."

They looked at me as if I was crazy. That is, everyone other than my parents, and Ito-chan and Ronna, strangely. I smiled, and shook my head. "On the day that I was attacked, Dinobot and his team were visiting the Pavilion. I know that you know about what wounds I received there. The one that went from my shoulder to my hip would have been fatal, had Dinobot not, well . . . I'm _still_ fuzzy about the process, but basically what happens, is that he took the weakest part of my soul, and replaced it with a stronger piece of his." I blinked, frowned, and added, "Or something like that. Anyway, that's about what happens, whenever one of us is wounded more than we can handle."

"Itosugi wasn't there, then," Terrence said.

I smiled at him. "He was at the Pavilion, when Dinobot returned, on the day or our small tournament. I didn't see him, but I knew that he was there. Everyone who was in the Pavilion at that time, even around it, I will call a witness."

There was a fanfare coming from the television, and we all turned to look at it. I saw Michael "Brute" Forge and Renny "Termination" Thaine standing side by side, with their helmets under one arm, on top of the announcer's pedestal. They looked at each other, and Michael started. "Thank you one and all for attending this show of deadly grace."

Renny, Termination, spoke next. "We have reached a decision about our arenas' duel."

Michael continued. "I am ashamed of my once-teammate's behavior. He acted crassly, without the honor that my Arena Marshal Kedakai spoke of, after her win. He acted upon resentment towards Kedakai's husband, Dinobot, as they were keeping their marriage a secret until this season was over. I, Brute, no longer recognize him as an arena-comrade, or as a friend for that matter."

"As for Dinobot," Termination continued, "I would be honored to the highest level if he were to join my arena, however . . . I know that he will be taking Talon's place in the WeyQuinTree Arena. From here on in, I, on behalf of my Arena Marshal Extinction, pull from the Team Deathmatch."

"I as well, on behalf of my Arena Marshal Kedakai, withdraw from the Team Deathmatch. The final battle in the Regional Championships shall now take place, between the Arenas Berkshire and North Shore. The winning team will be the one who will go on to the Nationals. Thank you."

They climbed down, amid silence, and picked up the dropped gear that everyone had left behind when we ran to protect Yokio Dinobot. I sighed, and said, "They worded it well."

When they entered, I ran to Michael, and hugged him, then ruffled his hair, smiling sadly. "That must have been hard for you to withdraw in my place."

He nodded. "Yeah."

He looked up, saw Dinobot, looked back at me, and I smiled again. "He doesn't mind, as long as you stay only as close as a brother."

"Advice: Don't cheat on him. He's glaring at me, and I would really hate to have him against me one-on-one," Michael said, inching so that I was between him and Dinobot.

My husband grinned evilly, but at my glance, it turned into an innocent look. I sighed, and we sat to watch the final battle between the arenas that would go onto the Nationals, for the team death-match. I sighed. "The teams really don't know how to work with each other." An idea struck. "You know how we have platoons, Da?"

"Yes . . . ?"

"What if we cut the amount of fighters that we have in a platoon in half? That would result in better teams, and not to mention, people who you can rely upon in any situation."

"Almost like you and lover-boy?" Hoshi jeered over. Her disposition changed immediately, as she said, "Are-chan . . . me and Ganko are leaving back for Japan next week."

I looked back at her, and then ran over to embrace her, as she started to cry. I sighed, and said, "You'll always be my best friend, Shi-chan."

"Heh . . . I'm 'death beloved' again, am I? Or the number four? How about I'm the beloved poem? Or the city or teacher?" she asked through tears, smiling faintly.

"I got you to chuckle, didn't I? And I'll have you as the 'Beloved teacher' any day."

"Yeah . . ." She wiped at her eyes. "I'm going to miss you, Alessa."

I nodded, and turned to watch the screen, keeping one arm around her shoulders. Kale Savage came forward from the shadows, shifting my arm carefully until I wasn't holding onto her anymore and he was. She looked surprised when I stated to walk back to Yokio, but then looked up to Kale, who smiled and squeezed her shoulders. "But before you go, Hoshi, you have to let me bring you to a movie."

"O-okay."

I chuckled, and he looked up at me. "Double-date? Or more? Maybe Nahele can take the blonde over there . . ."

I shook my head. "Nah. We'll make plans so that you and Hoshi are all alone."

". . . you're cruel to a boy who has never been on a date before."

I was watching the screen, wincing when Factor took a good blow to the back, but he rolled quickly out of it, his sword snapping around until it rested upon his opponent's, Heion's, neck. I sighed, and said, "Liar."

"Yep."

We laughed, and I leaned back against Yokio, who wrapped his arms around my waist, and sighed into my neck. _Things can only get better from here, Alessa._

_I know. When we get home, I have to meet them . . . whoever 'they' are._

_You'll know them. Hmm . . . apparently, Ronna is a good fighter, wouldn't you say?_

I smiled, kissed his chin, and said, "Yes . . . and I'm going to be forging your own sword, once this season is over."

"You mean you get to rest?"

The fighters all laughed, and I replied, "Dinobot, we have three weeks of falling out of shape, and then we have to start training again."

"Yeah, but for some reason, the Kedakai always came back as if she never took a rest!" Terrence called over.

I looked at him blankly. "Look at who my father is. He doesn't let me rest. It's either training, forging new armor, or something random."

"Oh. Hehe . . . duh!"

I shook my head. Luckily, it was nearly over.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Fourteen

I yawned and stretched, as we unloaded the armor from the vans late that night. All ending ceremonies were over. With a final stretch, I pulled my armor stands behind me as I walked towards the Pavilion. It was only me, Yokio, Mom, and Dad left. Everyone else wanted to go home to their own beds, and I completely understood that. It was something that everyone wanted after any fierce competition.

I walked into someone, and, with a practiced move, drew my sword and landed in a defensive position. Yokio chuckled and placed one hand on the sword, resting the other upon my cheek, gently moving my head to look at him. "Alessa . . . can't you sense who it is?"

I paused, looked at the tall person, then asked, "Sense? What?"

"Alessa . . ."

I sighed, then growled, "No, Dinobot, I can't. I'm tired, I want to sleep, I know that we have visitors, and that means that I have to make sure that everything is tidy–"

A familiar voice chuckled and I blinked slowly, looking up at him. "Optimus Primal, you fiend. This is the third time that you've done something like this to me."

"I'll give you that one," Primal said. "So . . . Dinobot. Did Megatron deliver the message properly?"

"That's who it was?! The idiot couldn't have waited for a more inopportune time?! By the flaming Pit, Primal! If I wasn't married to Alessa, then I would be dead because of his action!"

"I take it that he didn't."

"Slag, no!"

I sighed and continued pushing the armor cart ahead of me. "You boys continue arguing. In the meantime, I'm getting this stuff away, and I'm going to bed."

Needless to say Yokio caught up with Optimus behind him, chuckling at the face I knew that my husband was making.

I heard arguing the moment I walked in. I was lugging my chainmail past the kitchen door, when I saw a short, wheeled bot, arguing with a hovering, taller one. I sighed, and called in, "I won't break it up, as long as it ends before the hour's over. If not, _Rattrap_, I won't let you talk with Dinobot."

"You're slaggin' kiddin'."

"Wanna bet?" Dinobot called over, passing me, with half of my armor in his arms.

I glared at him. "You shouldn't be carrying things, Dinobot!"

I heard the other two run to the door, as I argued with Dinobot about whether he should be carrying the armor or not, due to his injury. We stopped, when a dragon filled the hallway, looking at us. I sighed. "Megatron, I take it? Couldn't you have waited until Dinobot was done with his duel to drop the message?"

He blinked. "Should I have?"

Dinobot placed the armor upon the ground, changed to his human form, and then lifted his shirt to reveal his perfectly-toned muscles . . .

_What was that, Alessa dear?_

_Shut up._

Actually, he was showing off his scar. He then returned to his robot mode, and picked the armor up again, then walked into my armor room. After setting it down on the proper rack, he looked over his shoulder at me. I smiled, sighed, and then said, "Yeah . . . I kinda have to get the rest of the armor." I walked up next to him, draping the chainmail over the mannequin that held it on, and leaned against him. He sighed, and I whispered quietly within our shared soul, _There's a week of gentle training, before we have to get moving towards the Nationals._

He looked down at me quizzically.

I smiled semi-evilly.

He ran off to the bedroom, shifting to his human form as he went.

Shaking my head, I walked out of the room, and into the hallway, meeting Rattrap's bland gaze. "Y'know . . . I'd _really_ like ta know why he ran through dat door, lookin' as pleased as he did."

Another bot blinked around the doorway from the guest room across from the armory, and said, "Are you so sure? This _is_Dinobot we're talking about."

". . . you're sick."

I laughed evilly, and walked off, leaving Rattrap to argue with Cheetor.

The door was slightly ajar. I blinked, then opened it a slight bit more, seeing the screen that I usually changed behind right in front of me as I opened it. There was a small light coming from behind it. I walked fully in and was about to walk around the screen when the door closed behind me. I whirled and saw Yokio there, in . . . in a men's dark-colored kimono, looking as if he were from the feudal period in Japan. He smiled and indicated something, folded, upon a small folding table that I often use for setting my tea down.

Somehow, this didn't really surprise me at all.

I blinked, and heard, "That's because, _watashi no koibito_, _you_ are different. You've changed in the short time that I've known you. It doesn't help that we've overlapped our souls twice since our marriage."

I sighed, and smiled, knowing that he had been listening to my thoughts. I turned away from him so that I could change into the kimono he had given to me. I tied it around myself, then adjusted it slightly so that it fell in a nice, loose sort of way. I called over to my husband softly, "And the point of this is . . .?"

He walked around the screen, smiling gently. "To see you in your full beauty, perhaps?"

"Yokio . . ."

"All right, slaggit . . . I knew that you would win after you popped your leg back into place. I felt that feeling of triumph. This is also," he pulled his hands before him, showing a wrapped present within them, long and odd-looking, "to celebrate your nineteenth birthday. Close your eyes."

I did, and felt his hand take one of mine, gently guiding me forward, then . . . to the right, around the screen, I presumed, and then forwards a bit more, turning me once more to the right. His hand never left mine, as I heard him whisper quietly, "Happy birthday. Look."

I opened my eyes.

"Dinobot . . . you . . . you did this? In this short time?"

"Yes."

He had set up a small table, low and in the old Japanese style, with two lanterns upon it, one on either side. There was a small cake, the only non-Japanese item that I could find in the room, with a simple, "Happy Birthday" written upon it. I looked to him, and asked, "Who told you that it was today?"

He smiled, and whispered, "A good source. Sit. I know that it's late, but please, Alessa, sit. Just this small celebration. I know that you don't want it, anyway, but . . ."

I smiled back up at him, and then leaned closer to him. "Where do I sit?"

He guided me to a pillow, and then sat behind me, his shoulder against my back. "Make a wish. I'll stay out of your mind."

I closed my eyes, made the simple wish, then blew out the candles. He smiled, and slid the odd package around my waist, to rest upon my lap. "Here. Open it."

I did, and then saw . . .

"Yokio . . . Dinobot . . . who did this?"

"I did. Recognize the pattern?"

I nodded. "It's . . . it's like half of your sword's pattern . . . crossed with my fighting sword's pattern."

He nodded, and leaned closer, his voice quiet. "It's one of two. I own the other one. Teach me."

Turning to look at him, I asked, "Teach you what?"

Yokio's face smiled gently, not saying anything. I sighed, and sheathed the sword. Once I had laid that upon the table, careful not to scratch the lacquered surface, I moved as quickly as my body would allow me, and tackled him, tickling his sides as I did so. He quickly returned the side-pinching, also managing to grab the back of my knee which was just as ticklish. We rolled slightly, laughing, but he stopped our movement before we rolled through the wall and into my parent's room, which was next to ours.

Nonetheless, there was a knock on the wall with my father's throaty roar accompanying it. "Keep it DOWN in there!!!"

In the rooms around us everyone went silent, then exploded into gales of laughter. I looked to Yokio, who was supporting his weight upon his hands, leaning over me. He was looking mildly annoyed but I smiled anyway. Once the laughter died down, I called over, "Don't say that we should get a room, 'cause you _know_ that I'm already in one."

"Respect your elders!"

"Respect our privacy!"

Someone called from down the hall, "Respect mah ahthoratay!!"

Yokio called down, "Will you ever shut UP, vermin?!"

"Dat wasn't me fer once!"

"Then who?!"

There was a brief silence, which was broken by a myriad of voices, "CHEETOR!!!"


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Fifteen

I sighed and snuggled closer to Yokio. He was already awake, and running his fingers gently through my short hair, playing with it. I blinked up at him, then frowned sleepily. He smiled, and I yawned then buried my head into the pillow by his neck. He smiled, kissed my cheek, then whispered, "Your parents are gone."

"Mmph . . . ?"

"They're showing my old comrades around the forge."

"Mmmmmph . . . ?"

"Shall I elaborate further upon the fact that we're _all alone_?"

"Nnmmpphhrrrr."

"Hm?"

"Nnmmmpphhrrrrrr!!!"

"Headache, dear?"

I pulled my head out of the pillow, and glared at him. "Yeah. And it's running from my head downwards. You want to fight about it?"

"Makes it more fun, you know."

". . . pig."

"Yo, CHOPPUHFACE!!!"

I felt Yokio jerk, and then settle back. We had talked and I had fallen asleep again, nestled against him. His voice was quiet. "Quiet! She's still asleep, from what I can tell. What is it?"

"Can I come in?"

Yokio sighed, and said, "Alessa wouldn't appreciate that."

"Oh."

I blinked up at him, and he chuckled. "You were already awake, weren't you?"

"Mm . . . sorta."

He chuckled, and I rose to get changed. Once I was in comfy clothes and Yokio was Dinobot, since he was being lazy again, I opened the door to allow the smaller Maximal in. "Come on, then. You woke me up, and I'm still due a few more hours sleep. What did you need?"

"Uh, if 'ya don't mind, I kinda hafta talk to Dinobot alone."

I smiled, and opened the door again to allow myself though. "Of course. Dinobot, you get changed once you feel like having cider . . . or tea. And you have to wear something that could pass my mother's approval before I hand you the mug."

He smiled. I closed the door behind me, still smiling in return. Dad embraced me as I passed his door, and then ruffled my hair. "I hope that you didn't take me too harshly last night, Ales."

Chuckling, I turned, and kissed his cheek. "Dad, we weren't. That, and we wouldn't have done anything, knowing that there were guests here as well." I blinked up at him. "Weren't you showing people around the forge?"

"That was three hours ago."

"Oh. What time is it?"

"Two-thirty."

"PM?"

"PM."

"Wow."

He laughed, and I set about setting up tea for people who wanted it. Yokio sat next to me. I was surprised to see him, actually, but what I was more surprised to see, was that he was _fuming_ about something. I took the water off of the heat, and turned to face him. _What's up?_

_Nothing._

_Bite me. What's the matter?_

He blinked at me, and outlined the situation. It seems that the Maximals and Megatron and his goons were fighting against some new alien species, who had succeeded in knocking Megatron off of his seat of power as dictator over a mindless Cybertron. Megatron wanted Dinobot to join them, and would do anything to do so. _Anything._ That's why my husband was so angry. Rattrap had warned him that Megatron had even been planning to hold me hostage, to get him to help. I sighed, and wrapped my arms around his chest, and buried my face into his body. He held me tight, and whispered, "I could never forgive myself if he did that to you."

"You don't have to worry. He wouldn't try anything, since Nationals are on their way."

"Alessa . . . he would. You don't know him."

I looked up at him, and then sighed. "Then we'd better get to Washington D.C., and make sure that we're seen around that area."

He nodded, seeing the sense in that move, and said, "When should we start getting ready?"

"Practice for the rest of today, pack tomorrow, get to the city by tomorrow evening," I replied. "Then, go to the local Arena, and practice there. It would do good to talk to some of the young fighters from that arena."

"Alessa! Someone's here, saying that he knows you!" Cheetor said, huffing, and looking a bit worried.

I grabbed a ceremonial naginata as I ran outside, and landed upon the path in a defensive position easily with the weapon. I blinked, laughed, and relaxed, seeing Kedamono remove his helmet and chuckle as well. Cheetor blinked from me to him, and I said, "Cheetor, meet Yamayuurei Itosugi, a good friend of mine. He's known as Kedamono in the arena. He was one of the judges yesterday, and I trust him with my life."

"Oh. Whoops."

I laughed, and replied, "Aah, don't worry about it." I looked back at my friend, and asked, "When are you going down to the D.C. to judge?"

"Tomorrow. I came to say that it wouldn't kill you if you wanted to come with me. Plus, the other judges wanted to see and meet with you and Yokio. Why do you ask, though?"

"Yokio and I were actually thinking about looking around the city."

"You mean being seen by the public," Cheetor said slowly, looking at me thoughtfully.

"Mm-hm."

"Wise move."

"ALESSA!!!"

I sighed, and said, "You can change in the guest house, Ito-chan. It has tiled floors, so you don't scratch the wooden ones of the main house. I'll have some tea ready."

"Thank you, Are-chan."

"Oh, anytime!" I called over my shoulder, walking towards my mother's call. She was waiting in the main room, by the sunken fireplace. "What is it?"

"Yokio told me about _his_ plans."

"We're going to D.C."

"Good. Your father and I are coming."

"Mom, are you sure?"

"Of course. You've never been to the Smithsonian Museum, since we only went down when your father did. Now, you get Yokio into some armor, and you start training him in our style."

"What, and get my tail whipped?!" Yokio called from the kitchen.

"You have to learn sometime!" I replied.

"Oh, great. I believe this is the part where Rattrap says that we're all going to die."

I laughed, and shook my head. "Oh, you. I'll be easy on you."

He chuckled somewhat evilly, and replied, "For once."

"Mind. Gutter. Out. NOW!!!"

Yokio landed upon his rear. Again. I sighed, and reached down to help him up. He was in one of the suits of armor that my father had outgrown. Groaning, he asked, "Why the _Pit_ must you cause me to fall? _This_ is what you call _easy_?!"

I grinned behind my helmet. "You want to learn the style, you learn how to defend yourself against it, by deflecting my blows _completely_ and _correctly_. Once that's done, you'll know the different blocks. _Then_, I'll teach you to parry. After that, attacking."

"Usually, don't you teach attacking before parrying?"

"Not here! You work your way up from blocking," my father called from the porch, slugging down a soda of some sort. We're not the greatest people to be talking to others about how nutritious our diets are. Usually, I get by on a small bag of Doritos and a Mountain Dew, or a burger from a fast- food restaurant chain.

Dad was talking again. "And here's a tip: You're using straight blocks! Try a different approach!"

Yokio looked at him in shock. ". . . what the _slag_?! Blocking is _supposed_ to be straight!"

"Is it?"

I laughed at Yokio's speechlessness, and then said, "On your guard!"

Yokio turned, and I swooped a simple overhand strike at him. He blocked, his sword parallel to the flagstones beneath our feet. Using a swift rebounding, rolling motion, I let the sword bounce up to swing it in a full circle, beginning a swipe at his legs. Again, his block was straight, but this time, perpendicular to the ground. While he was busy blocking that, I linked my right leg around his own, and tripped him. "Wrong style of blocking."

He glared up at me. I shrugged, and continued, "You clearly didn't hear what my father was saying."

He ripped his helmet free of his armor, revealing an _extremely_angry face, yelling, "Well if you _told_ me outright, then I'd be able to stop making mistakes!"

I pulled my own helmet free, seeing that there would me no more practice for today. Sighing, I replied, "Mistakes are proof that you're trying, and I commend you for that. But I cannot tell you what you're doing wrong. You have to figure that out on your own."

"Oh, and I suppose that _you_had to find out what you were doing wrong as well?!"

I smiled, and nodded. "Of course."

Yelling in pure frustration, he threw his helmet and sword down to storm off, pulling the armor off. As he did so, he held it as he stalked off. I smiled at his retreating back, while Rattrap came up next to me quietly. "What was dat about?"

Once he was inside, I looked at my father, who was grinning. "You're a brat, Alessa."

I nodded. "I know." Looking down at Rattrap, I said, "Dinobot's been raised with swordfighting in the style that he uses. I'm basically ripping that training free from him. He identifies his whole personality and being with it. It's a part of him that's been a constant in a shifting world."

"And you're telling him dat it's wrong."

"Horribly so. He's not going to be happy with me for a while."

"Then why do dis t' 'yaself?" Rattrap asked quietly.

Sighing, picking up the helmet and sword, I looked at the rodent. "Because there are fatal flaws in the style he uses. If Jett had recognized the flaws, he really could have killed Dinobot out there yesterday. We're lucky that he was so angry at the fact that Dinobot's my husband, he overlooked them blindly."

"Dinobot doesn't know dat you're helping him."

I shook my head. "And he won't know until he figures it out for himself, Rattrap. Promise me that, please. I'm blocking this information from him, locking it up in the farthest corner I can find."

Rattrap nodded, smiling. "If it means dat he's gonna improve, den I'll help 'ya."

"Thanks." I heard a door slap shut on the other side of the house, and smiled, chuckling. "He's taking a walk. Good. Maybe he'll figure something out."

Rattrap groaned, shaking his head. "Don't count on it, sistuh. Don't count on it."

Dinobot was back late that night, still fuming, but in a controlled sense. I was leaning against the door to the rock garden in the center of the house as I heard him enter. The door closed, and I heard him pull out the bedding, grumbling something. I looked over my shoulder. "Say something?"

His glare was final and absolute. "Not to you."

I shrugged, and then looked back at the garden. "Okay. Tea's still warm, if you'd like any. It's the Chinese Black variety, which I remembered is your favorite."

A snort was his only answer as he laid down. My father was suddenly in front of my nose. I yelped, then laughed. "Da-ad! Stop doing that!"

He laughed in return. "Only when you're able to do that yourself! And _I'm_ injured! Have you gotten the trick down yet?"

I felt myself blushing. "No-o. Tell me?"

"No."

"Blast. I figured you'd say something like that. Need a sparring partner tomorrow?"

"Once you can sneak up on me, I'll get back to sparring with you."

"Gee, you're real helpful."

"As much as I can be, and you know that." He ruffled my hair, and said, "You're close, though. Real close to it."

I smiled back up at him, and said, "Thanks, Da."

"Get sleep. We're going to be setting out earlier on the roadtrip than we originally planned. You're packed?"

"Yeah, nearly. Only my armor's left. And you'd better sleep, too. You're a back-up judge."

He rolled his eyes. "Ugh. Don't remind me, daughter. Good night."

"G'night."

I closed the door, and then went around the room, extinguishing all but one candle, which was near the teapot. I poured myself a cup, then sat to drink it. Dinobot shifted to turn and look at me, his face still angry. "When are you putting that out?"

I smiled kindly, gently. "Just a moment. I'm sorry. I thought that you were asleep by now; you usually are."

"When I'm not slagging _figuring_ something out! Or, as it _really_ is, lying here, completely frustrated that nobody will tell me what the slagging problem is!" His glare was still dark.

I sighed, shaking my head. "When you figure something out by yourself, you generally take the lesson learned deeper into your heart, than if you were told outright by your instructor."

He snorted again, letting a growl add in to elongate the sound. "But swordfighting is _supposed_to be taught in a blatant manner!"

Smiling, I drained the cup, and blew the candle out. I climbed into my side of the bed, but reached over to brush my fingers over his brow once. He pushed my hand away irritably, but still remembered to be gentle at the same time. He stopped, my fingers only an inch off of his head, then said, "What is this condition that your father set for you? One that means that he will not spar with you?"

I laughed, and said, "He has a trick of sneaking up on someone while they're watching you. Or looking somewhere around you. He taught me the beginning of how to start, but I have to find out the final secrets on my own."

Dinobot's optics locked onto my eyes. "Like what you're doing to me."

"Almost. But not quite."

Dinobot growled in frustration, and let go of my hand, to roll back over. I shook my head, and laid down completely, curling around an old stuffed animal of mine, and falling asleep easily. It felt like a moment later, when a hand shook me awake. I looked up, seeing Yokio, dark hair pulled back, green eyes wide and bright in the darkness. "Circles."

I blinked, confused. "What?"

"That's the answer. I'm thinking in straight lines, and that's normal for a Cybertronian, but I have to think like a human to defend myself from one. You use circles."

I shook my head, and yawned, sitting up. "Start from the beginning. And _what time is it_?"

He pointed to the clock. It was just after midnight. Two hours of sleep. Great.

"Your father said that I was blocking wrong, that I was blocking in straight lines. He said that I should try a different tactic. Cybertronians are purely logical. Which means that we don't do circles."

"What do you mean?" I asked, still holding my stuffed panda.

He took a deep breath in, then said, "The best route from point A to point B is a straight line, correct? That's how a Cybertronian thinks. We don't meander. Our thought lines aren't rounded. A human's thought lines _are_ rounded, often circular."

I nodded again. "Go on."

"Cybertronians fight in a straight manner. Perfectly straight lines, and perfectly accurate angles. I thought that it was you _humans_who were flawed in fighting techniques when I was watching you fight, but . . . but I realized that . . . well . . ." He paused, blinked, then said, "Cybertronians generally do not have rounded figures. My original form was somewhat blocky, nothing like what you see now. But humans they're . . . we're a slagging bunch of circles. You and other fighters developed a style of fighting that was circular. And your attacks were circular, proving that my straight blocks were ineffective." He paused again, then sagged against the mattress, face in the pillow, flat on his stomach. "You were only trying to help me, and I was . . ."

I tossed the panda to one side, and then sat astride Yokio's back, rubbing at his shoulders, catching a forming tension knot just in time, and began to rub it into oblivion. "You were frustrated, you were tired of falling on your butt, and you wanted to know why you were failing against a girl."

His voice was still muffled. "I'll agree to the first two points, but I've lost to more females than I've lost to males. Even though I haven't lost to many females."

I chuckled, and once the knot was out, and his back was completely relaxed, I let myself lay down on it, wrapping my arms around his chest, and sighed into the back of his neck. He squirmed for a moment, then rubbed at his neck. Gently, then, he rolled over to pull me into his arms, and kissed my forehead. "Forgive me, please. I was being stupid."

I yawned, then said, "I knew what you were going though. I went through it myself, and I _still_have to go through it. So don't you worry about it, this time. You have no excuse for all the times that follow, though. You saw how I dealt with it between me and Da."

He nodded, and whispered, "I love you. And I still feel bad that I acted the way that I did."

"I understand."

"I want to make it up to you. Please . . ."

I looked up at him, then sighed, and asked, "How would you want to make it up to me, then?"

"However you want me to," he whispered, brushing his hand through my short hair gently. He traced my neck to my shoulders, then rested his hand there, on my shoulder. "Whenever you want me to."

I pulled myself closer to Yokio, then kissed him gently. _Well, you can kiss me, then let me get back to sleep. How's that?_

_That explains the 'what' and 'when,'_ he said, his "voice" changing to hold a bit of a lusty note in it, _but what about the 'how'?_


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

Chapter Sixteen

"ALESSA!!!"

I jerked awake, but didn't leave the bed. "Yeah?"

"We're leaving in three hours! And you still have to pack your armor!" my mother called back.

"Okay!"

Yokio groaned, and then blinked up at me. "Do we _really_have to get up?"

I smiled, and then kissed his already-wrinkled nose. "Yeah, I guess so."

He sighed, and then pulled me closer again. "Tell me why."

"Because we're going to Washington D.C. for the Nationals."

_You were wonderful._

I hid my blush against his bare chest. _If Mom or Da finds out . . ._

His chuckle was warm, his kiss upon my forehead filled with love. _Then I'll not brag about you._

I laughed, and shoved a pillow over his face, before shooting over to the closet. Then I heard a sigh. _Forgot one detail._

_Do I want to know? . . . oh. Duh. Your issue, this time around._

"Unfair."

"Completely. Now will you stop watching me?!"

"Meh. You're no fun."

"Not during the day."

Rattrap's raucous voice outside our door wasn't comforting. "Woah, what?!"

Yokio looked at me as he wrapped a clean blanket around him. He opened the door a slight bit, then said out to the Maximal, "None of your business."

"Huh, _sure_."

I completed dressing then shoved Yokio out of the way of the door, stepping on the blanket as I did so, causing him to stumble and yank at the remaining corner covering him. "Alessa!"

I grinned, grabbed the blanket completely, and ran out of the room. Rattrap watched after me in wonder, as the sliding door snapped shut with an irritated growl from my spouse. I ran into the dining/living area, seeing most of the fighters and both my parents there. They blinked at me, then at the blanket. Finally, Ito-chan asked, "Was he _that_ hard to wake up this morning?"

I shrugged. "Depends upon what your scale would be."

"Well, unless you want to explain what you said ta him as I was passin' 'ya door . . ." Rattrap said. I turned to see him standing behind me, a look of _Tell-Me-You-Didn't_ upon his face.

I shrugged.

The look became more desperate, quickly shifting to _You-Did-And-That's-Not-Right_.

I grinned.

Rattrap shuddered, and opened his mouth, but a halfway-dressed Yokio scruffed him, and lifting him to a green-eyed glare. "_What_ are you saying to my wife?"

"Uh . . ."

"Are you slagging insinuating–"

"Look, _she_ was the one–"

"Rattrap, if you _even_–"

"Will you boys calm your hemorrhoids?!" my mother yelled from the kitchen. "Yokio! Where did you put the coffee?!"

He blinked at me. I sighed, then said, "Mom, you don't drink coffee. You hate it when _Dad_ drinks coffee."

"I'm pregnant! And I want coffee!"

I walked over to the kitchen door, and said, "One cup a day. I want my sibling to be not only normally-shaped, but with a normal brain as well."

She glared at me, then said,"Fine. One cup a day."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

I blinked, then looked at Dad, who blinked back at me. He voiced his comment. "I told you to get sleep last night."

I frowned, confused. "I did."

"Uh-_huh_."

Memories flooded my brain, and I felt my face heat up into a full scarlet blush. "I _did_ _too_ sleep."

He grinned, and Micheal soon followed suit, catching on quickly to where this conversation would lead on to. "Whoo! You let out with the knowledge that you've been married _all_ this time, and _BAM!_ you've _finally_ bedded him. Man, I love this place."

Itosugi was about to stand up to defend me, like any big brother should, but then stopped, seeing as I wasn't saying anything. He blinked at me, and Rattrap shuddered. "Don't wanna know, don't wanna know, don't wanna know . . . GAAAHHH!!! DAT'S SOMETHIN' I DIDN'T NEED TA HEAR DIS EARLY IN DA MORNIN'!!!"

I was looking at my feet, trying unsuccessfully to stop blushing, then gave up. "So? We're married."

Mom grabbed the back of my shirt, just as I saw my father yank Yokio back towards the rooms, also causing him to release Rattrap as he did so. The kitchen door snapped shut, and she blinked at me. "This true?"

I swallowed, then nodded, looking at my hands. "I was hoping that we'd be able to hold out until we were married by human standards. I guess that you shoulda made him sleep in another room after all."

She tipped my chin up to look at her. "You're married to him, nonetheless. And I wouldn't have separated you two for the _world_. You both needed each other." She sighed. "By _his_ culture's standards, you're overdue in consummating the marriage. He's asked me about that, you know. When you were out tending the gardens and he was still too weak to follow you, he wondered why you hadn't said anything about it yet. And I told him to wait for you to let yourself become more comfortable around him. He was worried that it was his fault, that you weren't satisfied with who he was. He didn't want to be someone who you didn't love."

I hid my face in his hands. "That's why he was so depressed."

"Yes. But you managed to convince him." Hands pulled my hands away from my face, and I saw my mother's smiling face in front of mine. "So?"

"So?" I asked warily.

"Was it everything that a young woman's mind would fantasize about?"

I smiled, blushing again, and hid my face in my hands _again_. "_Mo-om_, not fair! Ew! I don't ask about you and Dad! Ugh, that's just _gross_ that I would think about asking about what you two get up to! Nasty!"

"It's perfectly fair. I want to make sure that you're being respected."

I looked over my fingers to glare at her. "I'm respected."

"Didn't sound like that yesterday evening," she said, grinning.

I grinned back. "I provoked that fight, actually."

"Blocking?"

"Yeah."

"Yes, I remember _those_days when you were first starting out on training . . . I remember them well, actually . . ."

"Great. Have a _wonderful_ trip down memory lane. I'll see you later, Mom, I have to find Yokio."

"Not yet. Your father's having a chat with him."

I stopped, and looked at her. "Oh, this does _not_ sound good."

"If you want to end up pregnant without an income, then I'll let you find them." Shesmacked the fleshed outside part of her right fist into her left palm. "That reminds me. Yokio has to be fully registered today if he's going to be standing in for someone again. My laptop's up and running, and I can pull a few strings that will have him registered before the Nationals. That way you'll have two incomes once he's in."

I nodded, seeing the logic. Arena fighters can retire after three years of fighting, but they don't really have a good amount to live on for the rest of their lives by at that time. By overlapping Yokio's and my own incomes, then we would have more than enough to live and raise a few children on. More than likely, we'll be even able to send them to college if they wanted the opportunity. Plus, when I'm finally ready to retire and have children with my husband, I'd still judge or coach younger fighters. Those are paying jobs right there, but I doubt that I'd be able to train the kids fully, what with the strains that childbirth puts upon the body.

"Alessa?"

I looked up at Mom, who smiled and said, "You're thinking about your future, aren't you."

Nodding again, I smiled, and said, "I guess that I'm planning out what could be, when Yokio and I decide to start having children."

She nodded, and said, "That's what I did. And I got a job for managing the WeyQuinTree Arena since I had done such a good job in coaching kids in unarmed fighting there for five years."

I looked at her. "Why aren't you ever at the old house anymore?"

She smiled, "Where you grew up? Because you were able to buy this wonderful place. But I really came here to just watch over you for the rest of this season. I wanted first off to make sure that you healed well and completely. Then Dinobot showed up again, and I didn't want you without an emergency resource if you needed a little more help. But once Nationals are over, your father and I are going back to the house."

"I guess that I'll be living here full-time, huh?" I asked.

"If you want to. I mean, you're not all that far from where your father and I bought _our_ house, and built the forge a hundred yards from the back door. That, and you still have your off-season job that was left open for you, which is only a short run away."

"It'll be nice to be completely alone with Dinobot for a while."

She laughed, and opened the kitchen door abruptly. All the fighters were there, one ear towards the kitchen. That is, all but Terrence, whose ear was clipped when my mother snapped the door open. She picked up a heavy ladle, and tossed it from hand to hand. "Who's first?"

They fled surprisingly quickly, managing not to bump into my father or Yokio on their way out with both Rattrap _and_ Cheetor included in the eavesdropping crew! Optimus walked into the room, saw my mother, and backed out, hands up. "I was only looking for Silverbolt. I think he's elsewhere."

"Gazebo, actually," my mother said, straightening and rubbing at her back. "You know, that smaller building hidden by the arborvitae. There's three small stones, one upon the other, blocking the path though the hedges, but ignore that. It's just somewhere to go for quite time alone."

Optimus nodded, and started to turn, when he looked back at my mother. "Would you know where Blackarachnia is, then?"

I raised my hand, and said, "I'd hazard the Gazebo as well."

He opened his mouth, closed it again, and nodded. "I'll wait at the arborvitae and call them from there, then."

"Wise move," my father rumbled, chuckling.

Optimus laughed, leaving, and my father looked to me. "Your mother spoke to you?"

I nodded.

"And you _will_take all necessary precautions?"

"Yes, Da."

"How many more years do you think you'll compete?" he asked quietly.

I shrugged, and said, "I dunno. Yokio and I'll decide that later, when everything's completely figured out."

"Alessa," my mother whispered, "once you have your child, you'll never move the same way again. You have to remember that, and prepare yourself to accept that."

I looked at her, and then ran into her arms, pressing my face into her shoulder, realizing why Mom was always to anxious when my father went out to fight. She still wanted to go out there, and she still had once had at least two more years of competing in unarmed fighting competitions left in her when I was conceived. And I was nearly lost, too. Mom didn't know that she was with child, and was actually fighting when she was struck a bad way, causing bruising on her left side and ripping of a few abdominal muscles upon her right side.

Sniffing, I looked at Mom, and said, "I'll remember."

Yokio cleared his throat, and then said awkwardly, "I don't know about that moving bit, but I know for sure, that we can control if . . . er . . . when we wish to . . . um . . . procreate. It's a Cybertronian trait that carried over."

I frowned at him. "You didn't tell me."

His blush deepened. "I didn't know."

I rolled my eyes. "Tell me later about it. I'm taking a shower." Stopping, I looked at Mom. "Are you taking vitamins?"

She winced. "I wasn't until I had the first inkling that I might be having another child. But I'm taking them regularly."

"Good."

I stretched as far as I could go, trying to reach as much of my back as I could with the soapy face- cloth. It wasn't working. I tossed the face-cloth into the small bucket of hot water at my feet, then looked around the Japanese-style bathing room. It was tiled, and designed as authentic as I could afford when I planned this house. I was already starting to think about revamping the bathing room and the kitchen.

_Alessa?_

_Hm?_

_You're really agitated about something . . ._

I laughed to myself, then replied, _Oh, I just can't scrub at my back as well as I wish that I could. I'm not that flexible._

His chuckle was kind._Do you want help?_

I sighed, and rubbed at my face with a clean face-cloth, then said,_ No, I'm fine._

_Oh, okay._

_You are so disappointed._

_So? And what if I am?_

_Remember that after Nationals, there's how many weeks of vacation?_

_Oh, oh I like that, my wife._

I got into the tub and relaxed, closing my eyes._ I'm moving completely into the Pavilion at that time. All of my other things are at my old house._

_Then I'll help._

_You have to finish packing our armor first!_ I said, realizing that he was sitting still, talking to me.

_It's done._

_Nuh-uh. Already?!_

_Yes, already. Uh, Itosugi helped._

_You don't sound all that enthusiastic about that._

_He basically threatened to kill me seven different ways if I ever hurt you in any way, shape or form. While I was pinned against a wall, no doubt._

_He. Did. WHAT?!_ I leapt out of the tub, and started toweling off.

_Alessa! It's fine! He was only warning me! And I understand his concerns!_

By this time, I was storming to my and Dinobot's rooms, towel around me, and clothes under my arm. I slammed the door open, and looked straight at Itosugi and Yokio, who were watching each other. Itosugi didn't look all that surprised that I had come into the room the way I was. Apparently he had been warned. Yokio sighed. "I said that it was only a warning. Get dressed, Alessa, please?"

"Itosugi Yamayuurei, if you _ever_–"

Yokio stood, and rested his hands upon my shoulders. "Love, please."

The towel started slipping. I went behind the folding screen to sit. Itosugi sighed. "I don't want you hurt, little sister. Not by anyone. Yokio has me utterly convinced that he'd die if anything happened to you. I was only testing him."

I saw Yokio's shadow, and he then reached around the screen, underclothes and a large t-shirt in his hand. "I don't know what you'd like to wear on the way."

I thanked him as I took the cloth items, then walked around the screen again to look at Itosugi once I was dressed. "How many times have you 'tested' him, Itosugi."

"Just this once, Alessa. I promise you. I've been watching, though, making sure that you and he were right for each other. Now, look here, stop looking at me like that! I _know_ that you didn't have any choice in this, and I don't think that Dinobot feels as if _he_ had a choice in it as well, but I just wanted to double-check!"

My glare lessened slightly, but I asked calmly, "Why do you feel that way?"

He sighed, then looked at his hands. "Because I always knew that you were a girl. And because I swore to protect you as best as I could when you came out with the fact that you weren't 'one of the guys'." His black eyes caught my own blue ones. "My sister died at birth twenty years ago. You were born on the exact same date as she was, only one year later. My religion believes that if one family member dies, and if a child within the family is born one year later to the date, to the exact time, the member is reborn. Reincarnated."

"But I'm not within the family," I whispered.

He smiled, and nodded. "Yes, Alessa, you are. Ever since I found out about your birthdate, I kept trying to dig up more and more information. Finally, I happened upon the fact that Extinction Forges supplied you with your armor. And I talked with your father about you, not knowing that he was who he was. All I knew was that he had trained you." Ito-chan looked between Yokio and myself. "And then I met you. I had to act surprised that you were a girl, since I had figured out that no guy in their right mind would want to move in the ways that you did. You had agility down to the 'T,' and you could strike faster than any other fighter in our arena. You also have the strictest codes of behavior that I had seen in an arena fight. You'd let an opponent stand before attacking them again. You are a warrior. You were born on the date that the zodiac Chinese New Year changed from the old to the new, at precisely midnight, declaring you to be neither of the old nor the new. You're timeless, Alessa."

"And you think that I'm the reincarnate of your little sister?" I asked.

Itosugi blinked once, then nodded once. "That is why I call you 'Are-chan.' My sister was called Arashi. Ara-chan. Are-chan. It's a close enough resemblance."

I reached my hand out to wipe a tear from his face. He froze, then blinked. I smiled. "Didn't know you were crying?"

"No . . ."

I embraced him, and felt him hold onto my shoulders tightly. Smiling, I held his head to my shoulder, and whispered, "You've wanted to say that for a long time, haven't you?"

"_Ha . . . hai . . ."_

"Aah . . . Ito-chan, you're too much. How do you say 'big brother' in Japanese?"

"_Oniisan._ Or it's the name, followed by 'niisan.' Why?"

"So I'd call you Itosugi-niisan?"

"Itosu-niisan," he whispered.

I smiled up at Yokio, who was smiling in return. His voice was kind. "And that would make you, Itosugi, _watashi no giri no kyoodai_. Would that be correct?"

"Your brother-in-law?" the Japanese young man asked, sniffing once and standing straight. He smiled. "I guess that I could live with that."

"So if Alessa calls you Itosu-niisan, what would you call her?"

He looked at me, smiled, and ruffled my hair. "Aresa-imooto? Nah. I'm calling her Are-chan for the rest of her life. And you, Dinobot, are Yo-kun."

"Great. No respect at all," I said sarcastically, chuckling. "I'm getting changed. Itosu-niisan, thank you for telling me. I had a feeling that something had been bothering you for a while."

He smiled, and opened the door. "I have to get my things ready for transportation. I'll see you in D.C., _hai_?"

"_Hai._ Travel safely, Itosugi."

"I will. _Ja ne._"

"_Ja ne."_

The door closed after him, and Yokio pulled me to him so that I was resting against his chest. "You know, my wife, you are amazing. I couldn't get him to tell me more than just admitting that something was bothering him, and that it involved you. You got the complete story."

I shrugged, and walked into our room, where I opened the closet and pulled out a few items of clothing. "What do you think, the blue shirt with these jeans?"

He shook his head, and pulled a soft grey shirt out. "This one, with those jeans. And those black boots, the white watch Itosugi gave you for your birthday, and that necklace that I like on you."

"You like anything on me, as long as you can take it off."

"Drat. You saw through my secret."

I laughed, and looked up at him. My happiness died off as I remembered something my mother told me. "Dinobot, why didn't you tell me that you were worried that I hadn't loved you?"

"What?"

"When you came back to me. Mom told me that you had asked her why I hadn't said anything about consummating our marriage. Why didn't you tell me that something was wrong?"

His green eyes were suddenly cast downwards. "I didn't want you to force yourself to do something that you didn't want to. But I was afraid that you really didn't love me after all."

I combed my fingers through his hair, and then rested my forehead against his collarbone. "I'm so sorry that it looked that way. I didn't know what I had been doing, and I'm so sorry that I wasn't . . ."

"You weren't doing anything _wrong_, Alessa. You were doing what you thought was right, and I respect that. You wanted to wait until we were married by human standards, which still has yet to happen, yet . . . in Cybertronian standards we've been married for months."

I nodded, then whispered, "But still . . ."

"There is no 'but still' in this conversation, Alessa. I didn't want you to worry that you were doing something wrong by obliging to consummation. I wanted you to be ready, and I wanted you to come freely to me when you were. And I love you all the more that you have kept yourself for me alone, as well."

I chuckled, and then drew away from him, slipping into the jeans. "You really are amazing, Yokio."

"Yeah, but I love you. That's why."

I felt myself blush. "And you're a romantic sap."

"As always, and only for you."

Once changed completely, I pulled his head down gently to meet me in a kiss. He met me in it as well, and I smiled. We pulled apart, but he kissed my forehead. "Is there a world competition, Alessa?"

"Once every five years," I replied.

"When's the next one?"

"In four years."

"Good."

"Why?"

"I have enough time to make a name for myself."

I laughed and held his hand as we walked out to the waiting vehicles.


End file.
